


One Day You Won't

by Little_Crickett



Category: Life with Derek
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Dasey - Freeform, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-08-24 10:49:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 34,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8369437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Little_Crickett/pseuds/Little_Crickett
Summary: Since they were 15, Casey McDonald and Derek Venturi had been making rather elaborate plans on how to assassinate their step-sibling. Somehow they were both accepted into Queens University, much to Casey's dismay. They both learn college can be a very challenging and lonely time…especially when the only person you have to lean on is the person you hate the most.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This has a lot of flashbacks and currents. The first chapter is more or less setting it up. Flashbacks are about college and them trying to establish their relationship and the current is them having their daughter. Some chapters will be all college and others will be all current. Read. Review. Enjoy.

It was 3 am somewhere in Vancouver. A lazy snow drifted to the ground. Inside a hospital room a new mother cuddled her infant daughter to her chest. Only 16 hours old Amelia Isabel Venturi was nuzzling at her mother's breast. Amelia had a thatch of thick dark hair, complete with her father's wispy curls. Casey McDonald-Venturi studied her new daughter with the intensity usually reserved for final exams. Amelia had her mother's nose, small and round. Her grandma Nora's cheekbones. And her father Derek's mouth. With a light chuckle Casey briefly hoped that one day those pouty lips wouldn't say half the things Derek said before noon.

Beside the bed rested the husband and new father in a stiff hospital chair. He had his legs propped up on his wife's bed. His arms were crossed around his chest and his head slung back. He was wearing faded jeans and an ancient t-shirt from his high school hockey days. Soft, warm, comforting. Casey had worn that shirt countless times in the decade they had been together.

It was graduation day in the McDonald-Venturi household and the air was sparking with excitement. George was stalking the family with a video camera trying to get memorable interviews and Nora was snuffling into tissues. Lizzie and Edwin were lying low in the family room, trying to focus on day four of their life-or-death Monopoly game. Marti was bouncing around the house in a beautiful floral dress bought especially for the special day. Surely a waste of $25 because by noon it would have at least two mystery stains on it.

In the bathroom Casey was wrapping her long brunette hair around a curling iron and mumbling to herself. "You will not trip across the stage. You will remember your speech. You will not vomit . You will not vomit."

"Geeze, klutzilla. You're being spazzier than usual." Derek commented from the doorway. He was leaning casually in the frame and taking in Casey's appearance. Her dress fell just above the knee with green and brown flowers printed on a pure white background. She had slipped into solid white lace leggings and five inch brown wedges. Even Derek had to admit she was stunning. "You don't look like your usual crap so calm down and move over. I need the bathroom too."

"For what?" Casey snapped as she released her hair from the iron and it fell in a perfect spiral.

"I have to shave." He ran a hand across his stubble. Casey scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah. All three hairs on that pubescent beard are getting out of control." But reluctantly she did move over. Derek edged in and lathered his face with shaving cream. In doing so he bumped Casey's arm while she was winding another strand of hair. "Derek! I could have burned myself! Then all of my beautiful graduation pictures would have been ruined with an ugly curling iron burn because of your idiotic carelessness!"

"Breathe, princess." Derek sighed condescendingly and plopped shaving cream on her nose just to see her scowl and rub it off angrily. "I didn't even touch you and your precious graduation pictures will be fine."

"You just don't understand. I'm valedictorian! Everything has to be-

"Perfect. I know, you spazz. I know. You haven't shut up about it for weeks. EVERYONE in the tri-state area knows that Casey Jane McDonald is valedictorian. All your brown-nosing and keening paid off."

"At least I didn't spend four years wasting my life on dumb bimbos and parties!"

"Clearly! Your social calendar is just as bland as ever. Your idea of a graduation after party is going out to dinner with Nora and dad and safely retiring to your bed by nine thirty so you can wake up and pack for college which doesn't even start for twelve weeks. And while you act like a sixty year old widow, guess where I'm going to be."

"At Victoria or Jamie or Amber or Holly's house doing god knows what except ruining that poor girl's view on men." Casey spat.

At that moment George came into the bathroom doorway with his video camera and a weepy Nora in tow. "There are our two graduates! Casey is a valedictorian and Derek has lettered in hockey every single year! Do you have anything you wanna say?"

"We are so proud!" Nora half sobbed.

"Dad, come on! I'm shaving!" Derek groaned.

"George, mom, I' m not ready! Please, wait until later!" both teens pushed George and Nora from the bathroom and finished prepping for a giant day in their lives.

Days passed from the birth and they had settled into a rhythm. Casey was still dozing in the couple's bed one morning and Derek was swaying his new daughter in his arms in front of their back porch glass door. Snow had piled up and everything was glittery and white. Inside the two bedroom apartment, every surface had been vomited on by Father Christmas.

"You're over doing it, Casey." Derek had told his nine month pregnant wife only three weeks ago, as she hung garland around the tree. "She will be an infant. She'll have no clue what Christmas is. Why does it matter?"

"It's her first Christmas, Derek. I want it to be special." Casey's enormous belly was stretching out his old hockey shirt. He smiled and reached over her to hang garland where she couldn't reach.

"Won't being born be special enough?" Derek asked as Casey went to another box and brought out a seemingly endless assortment of tacky tree ornaments.

"No! I'm nesting. I want to do this for my nest. Help me hang ornaments."

"So my daughter is a…bird?" he picked up a plastic Santa and haphazardly hung it on a plastic green branch.

"No, Derek. Nesting is something pregnant women do when they are prepping for their baby. It wouldn't kill you to at least read one or two of those parenting books that I bought you. I mean at least act like you care. This is important to me and I was hoping it would be to you too!" She was going a million miles an hour and words were pouring from her mouth. She was getting worked up and on the verge of tears when Derek pulled his frantic wife into his arms.

"Calm down, Space Case. You'll send yourself into early labor."

"Der-ek." Casey moaned into his shirt. A smile stretched on Derek's face.

That morning it was three days after Christmas and Casey was just starting to wake up. Immediately a long laundry list of things to do swarmed her head. Laundry. Kitchen. Pump breast milk. Clean the house. The family will be over at 4…Casey crawled from bed and dawned yoga pants and a sweatshirt, her go-to post-partum wear…half because it was comfy and half because it was all left that fit her…

From the living room Casey overheard Derek's voice and the happy coos of their daughter. Casey crept down the short hall and watched as Derek swayed by the glass door and talked to Amelia.

"You're my Christmas baby. Yes, you are. You're daddy's Christmas angel. My Amelia Isabel. You're going to grow up smart and beautiful like your mommy. And strong and athletic like your daddy."

"You forgot stubborn and hot headed." Casey playfully chimed in.

"And a clumsy grade grubber." He teased in return. Casey walked over to the two loves of her life.

"Oh, shut it Venturi. And go take a shower. We have a busy day, the family will be over this afternoon. Also, please support her head more." Casey scooped Amelia from Derek's arms and kissed her fluffy brunette head. Derek planted a kiss on Casey's head and muttered something about knowing how to hold his own damn baby as he trudged to the shower. "Your daddy means well." Casey told Amelia.

They were only 27 and it had taken too many years to get from spitting venom to playful banter. At fifteen they might have stabbed each other for an offer less than vending machine change…but that all changed their first year of college when they realized they were all each other had.

"Do you have everything you need?" Nora asked her daughter for the umpteenth time. Casey was carefully organizing her books on the shelf above her desk. The dorm was…quaint…but nice. Casey hadn't met her roommate yet but assumed she would be around, judging by the mess on the other half of the room.

"Yeah, mom. I do." Casey said cheerfully.

"Alright then. If you need me, I'm only a few hours away…and Derek is just across campus."

"No, mom. He's not. Because as far as I'm concerned he is on another planet. Just because we happened to get into the same school doesn't mean I need to associate with him. Holidays will be enough. English majors doubling in Economics don't associate with undecided jocks here on a hockey scholarship."

"And three horns don't play with long necks." Nora mocked her daughter's haughty tone with a quote from her favorite childhood film.

"Mom, I'm being serious."

"So am I. College can be a very lonely time…and he is family."

"He isn't family." Casey said with less spite than usual. "He may be your step-son, but he was just my unwelcome housemate for four years."

"Oh, alright, sweetheart." Nora reached out and stroked her nearly adult daughter's cheek. Casey was clutching Mr. Snuggles, her childhood teddy bear to her chest. "I love you so much. I'm so proud of you."

"I love you too mom." The two women embraced and let loose a few sobs. A knock on the door frame split the mother daughter hug.

"Nora, Casey?" It was George, back from setting up Derek's dorm. Little known to Casey or Nora, George had just had a very similar conversation with his oldest son. "You ready to switch?" Nora nodded and kissed her daughter on the cheeks one last time before leaving to say goodbye to her step-son.

George awkwardly sauntered into his step-daughter's room. He sat on the bed and looked at her books on the shelf, posters on the wall, and blankets on the bed.

"It looks so...you. Already." George laughed lightly.

"I work fast." Casey shrugged. The two looked at each other for a few moments. After the divorce Casey and Lizzie's father had a mid-life crisis of sorts. Moved to California, married a twenty five year old yoga instructor, and had a baby. He all but forgot his two daughters in Canada. After a few visits it tapered down to just long cumbersome phone calls. Then it was just holiday and birthday cards. Now it was just birthday cards with no more than "Love Daddy" scribbled on it with "Love Daddy, Trisha, and Baby Opal" added later. George had been the man that Casey ran to with boy issues and prom issues and the man whose cheesy jokes she rolled her eyes at. Lizzie would go to George for soccer practice in the yard and her school science projects. George was the father that Casey and Lizzie didn't get on the first-go-around.

"I'm so proud of you, Case." George said. "You are the best daughter a man could ask for." His voice was breaking but he cleared his throat to cover it up. "Lizzie is so athletic. Marti is so creative. And you are so passionate. I am one lucky man to have three wonderful daughters." Casey sat on the bed beside him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Thanks, George. I like hearing that." Casey murmured.

"I told Derek to look after you." George said after kissing his step-daughters head.

"He won't."

`"You'd be surprised." George said cryptically.

Hours later the apartment was filled to the brim with the McDonald-Venturi clan. Lizzie and Edwin were twenty three and Marti was nineteen now. Lizzie had done extensive training and was now the co-owner of her own Taekwondo dojo. Edwin was a very young but very successful accountant and had a beautiful fiancé he met at university. Marti was attending an art school and had put blue streaks in her hair and a piercing in her nose. George and Nora loved the empty nest and had a time share in Florida where they went for three weeks every winter. Everyone was fawning and doting over Amelia Isabel , whose eyes were growing more and more blue every day, just like Casey's.

Casey was stirring a boiling pot on the stove and humming to a song on the radio. Derek came up behind her and rested his chin on her head. It was so domestic and peaceful it was almost frightening.

"Hey, it actually smells good." Derek remarked.

"Wow, thanks." Casey scoffed. "Spaghetti is hard to mess up."

"Oh…but our first week of marriage begs to differ." Derek laughed.

"I didn't mean to burn it!" Casey laughed.

"You burned everything. The sauce. The pasta. The bread." Derek shook his head at the memory.

"Well….you still ate it."

"I was afraid you would divorce me if I didn't!" Derek defended.

"Der-ek!" Casey swatted him with the hot plastic spoon. She turned down the stove burner and looked out into the living room at her -their- family. George, now with silver hair and Nora, now sporting happy creases in her face, were cuddling and cooing their first grandbaby. Lizzie and Edwin debated something heatedly but without anger. Marti was sketching actively in her artist's book, looking up at her niece and parents every so often.

"We've come so far." Casey sighed happily. Derek came up behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her tight.

"Sure have, princess." He sniffed the air. "Hey, babe?"

"Hmmm?" she said dreamily.

"You're pasta is burning."

"Oh, shit!" she broke his grasp and ran to the stove.

"Same old space-case." He chuckled and went into the living room to check on his daughter.


	2. Chapter 2

**WELCOME FRESHMAN CLASS!**

The banner hung in the doorway of Derek Venturi's new dorm building. The entire building smelled like fungus. But given that there were 150 teenage boys living in a confined space, Nora Venturi couldn't complain much as she exited the college housing. She had just said good-bye to her step son and her daughter and was meeting up with her husband at the car. George Venturi was already in the vehicle, fiddling with the radio, when his wife entered the car.

"Both kids are settled?" George asked.

"As settled as they're getting." Nora replied a little sadly as she pulled the seatbelt over her. "Did you talk to Derek about you know what?"

"Nora, men don't talk the way you girls gab on." George teased. "But yes. And he agreed."

"Wow. That was easy. I'm astonished." Nora said. The agreement pertained to a fairly difficult relationship that Derek shared with a young woman across campus. Two weeks ago, before even attending pre-registration, Derek had called his step-mother and father into his room while Casey was teaching a summer jazz and tap class for young kids. He was pale, sweaty, and looked sick.

"Sweetie, are you okay?" Nora cooed as she tried to press a palm to her distressed son's forehead. Derek pushed her off.

"Nora, I'm fine. Well. No. I'm not." He was pacing like a caged animal. "I can't do it. This is bullshit and I can't do it!" George sunk into a computer chair and Nora balanced on the edge of the unkempt bed.

"Language." George chided automatically. "Can't do what, Derek?"

"Go to university with her! She's everywhere at home and now she'll be everywhere there. I can't do it, man." Derek was sounding pathetic and foreign to himself. Like a whiny teen in an afterschool drama. He would have kicked his own ass if he could. Derek took a deep breath and steadied himself _. Act like the man you are, Venturi._ He scolded himself. He leaned against his dresser and ran his fingers through his shaggy brown hair. "Dad, remember that thing we talked about a year and a half ago?"

"Your crush on Casey? Yeah." George shrugged and crossed his arms.

"Really, dad? Really? In front of Nora?" Derek's voice was harsh and his was glaring at his bedroom guests.

"She's my wife. I tell her everything. Watch your tone."

"Well…when I was dating Amanda, I stopped caring about Casey. Like entirely. Except when she left her disgusting hairballs in the bathtub… but now Amanda is going to NYU and I feel like I'm back on Casey. Which is the last place I need to be and since you people won't let me sign up for online dating…" he trailed off, thinking about the Busty Singles in His Area.

"Look, Derek. Honestly, your dad and I expected this from the start." Nora's voice was calmer than Derek expected. He imagined more screaming about incest and familial betrayal and hours of required therapy. "When George and I began dating all those years ago we talked about you and Casey. The same age. Sharing a bathroom and a school and so much else. You were too old to see each other as siblings like Edwin and Lizzie, who were only eleven at the time. Fifteen is a very difficult time for boys and girls to live together. But you two were so different and so hostile…we didn't feel the need to address it."

"And you made this home hell for three and a half years." George chimed in.

"But now you both seemed to have cooled off." Nora continued smoothly. "You've matured into fine young adults. You are both going to university to get an education. I do believe that it is hormones talking and not genuine affection. You live in a cramped space with an attractive girl. When you get on campus you'll probably never see each other and you'll find someone new. So will she."

"Good god, I hope so." Derek groaned as the front door opened and Space Case announced her return.

The agreement that Derek and George had made that first day of college was that Derek would give Casey a good amount of space for the first semester. George made his hormone ridded son swear to focus his thoughts on hockey, other girls, and for god's sakes his studies. He shouldn't let his sex drive and the convenience of Casey being near-by ruin what little relationship he had with his step-sister. Derek nearly vomited when he heard his dad say _sex drive_ but he agreed and told George that he was going to bust into a frat party that night. No guy would dream of a keener like Casey when half-drunk cheerleaders were easily supplied. George sighed at his son's idiocy but gave him a big hug before leaving to talk to his daughter on the other side of campus.

After Nora departed, Derek sat on his bed and looked around his dorm room. White brick walls. Fiberboard desk and dresser and closet, made to look like dark wood. His mattress was lumpy and plastic. But it was his first ounce of freedom in years. He could do whatever he wanted whenever he wanted with whomever he wanted. A lot of the sorority chicks he saw when he was coming into campus looked homesick and easy enough to persuade after two wine coolers.

"Fuck yes." Derek said to himself at this thought. At that moment the thick wooden door burst open and a tall, athletic boy with curly ginger hair struggled into the room with a giant box and a microwave balanced dangerously on top.

"Yo, man! Give me a hand!" the boy demanded. Derek jumped up and grabbed the microwave from him. The guy put the box on the floor and took the microwave from Derek and put it on his bed. "Hey, I'm Robin."

"Derek." The roommates gave a hearty handshake. "What's in the box? A body?"

"A body would be lighter." Robin chuckled. "It's my gaming systems. PS3, Xbox, and my N64. Vintage. Girls have teddy bears. I have my Nintendo. And a shit ton of games for each system." He gently nudged the box with his toe. "Could you help me bring the rest of the stuff up?"

"Sure. Where are your parents?" Derek asked as he followed Robin back downstairs.

"Don't have a dad and mom had to work." Robin led Derek to a yellow cab. The driver was unloading boxes from the trunk and back seat. "Thanks, man." Robin said to the driver. He paid him, leaving a hefty tip, and the man got in his cab and left.

Half an hour later Robin was completely loaded into the dorm and had set up his TV and Xbox on Robin's desk. The boys were sitting in the desk chairs playing Grand Theft Auto 4 and Derek was effectively kicking his new roommate's ass.

"Beanbags." Robin exclaimed randomly.

"What the fuck man?" Derek asked, as he stabbed a virtual cop. Nora never let him play this game at home. She was always whining about how violent it was.

"We need beanbags. Betcha we can get some at the thrift shop next weekend."

"Sweet." Derek agreed.

Across campus, Casey wasn't having so much luck with her roommate. Jade had long black hair and wide green eyes. She hadn't said more than five words to Casey in the hour they had spent together. She must have been melting in her all black ensemble, Casey thought as she watched Jade shove her clothes in the dresser.

"So…do you want to go to the events registration this afternoon? I read in the brochure that we have a bunch of cool campus clubs." Casey offered.

"Nope. I don't really do clubs." Jade said shortly.

"Well, would you like to go get lunch in the café?" Casey asked. Jade turned toward her roommate and took it all in. Motivational posters. Purple fuzzy blanket. Cutsey teddy bear with a probably pathetic name. Hair up in a messy bun with a stylish headband that just screams _I look like I don't care but I actually do._ Yoga pants and the t-shirt from the dance studio this chick surely attended for all of her 18 years.

"Look, cheerleader. You seem really nice. But back off, okay? Go join a sorority and leave me alone, like you're going to anyways. Just because we share a jail cell doesn't make us besties. This isn't Orange is the New Black or Step Up or whatever you relate to."

"Oh…alright." Casey sighed and stood up from her bed. "I'll see you later, Jade." She grabbed her earbuds and phone and left the room thinking about going for a run. Before she could think about a running path her stomach rumbled so powerfully it probably registered on the Richter Scale. _First, lunch._ She thought to herself and headed to the campus café. It was a short walk and a nice day. There were people playing Frisbee on the quad and parents giving messy teary goodbyes. Casey took a breath of fresh air and felt like she finally belonged somewhere, even if her roommate wasn't what she had hoped. No one would call her a Keener or Klutzilla or Princess Spazz and no one knew she was related to-

"Derek!" upon hearing someone call her step-brother's name Casey inwardly groaned. She looked around for Derek and found him under a nearby tree as a blonde boy gave him a manly hug. There was a cute carrot top standing beside him…but if he was associating with Ventrui he was probably vapid, cruel, and lacking in nearly every personality trait.

"Hey, Sam!" Derek shouted to his best friend.

"Shit, I forgot he got in here too. Does high school ever end?" Casey whined quietly to herself. It wasn't that she hated Sam, just the opposite. Just…if Sam was here, a fresh start would be even more difficult. "Keep walking by. They'll ignore you."

And sure enough they did. Though Derek would know that glittery pink headband and _holier-than-thou_ walking style anywhere. But he turned his back on her and talked to Sam, whom he hadn't seen since graduation. His family spent the summer in Europe, enjoying their last family vacation together. Derek was glad George and Nora didn't have any ideas that bad.

"Nah, man." Sam defended. "It really wasn't that bad. Totally nude beaches in Italy."

"Damn, all we did was go to Niagara Fall's that one time. Nobody gets naked near the falls." Robin laughed. "My sister complained the whole time and my brother wouldn't put down his ipad. What about you Derek? I have absolutely no idea who you are and yet we share a room. Let me know you won't kill me tonight."

"I have a really nerdy brother, Edwin and a pretty chill step-sister his age, Lizzie. And my sister Marti is really weird but she's only 7 so she'll grow out of it."

"What about-" Sam was beginning to ask why he left out Casey but Derek cut him off with a subtle shin kick. Derek was doing everything he could to make a new name for himself. And that included not admitting to sharing anything with Casey, he didn't want anyone to even think he knew her.

"Let's get something to eat before I slaughter Robin early and eat him." Derek offered.

"I'm a little gamey. You wouldn't get much more than muscle." Robin joked and the trio headed to the café with no more talk about families but a lot of talk about those nude beaches.

A fresh start. Just like everyone wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I took an unexpected approach here. I always kind of assumed George and Nora would be accepting of Derek and Casey, or at least not be surprised. Sorry, if you don't enjoy my creative liberties or it seems OOC to you. Read. Respond. Review. Much Love, Little Crickett


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Back to "present day". After a while I will probably do two/three chapter chunks of "past" and "present" to make it less confusing. :) Much love, Little Crickett. Also, this one is super short.

It was late afternoon sometime in early February in the McDonald-Venturi apartment. Derek was lounging on the couch watching the hockey came and sipping at a beer. Casey had a snoozing Amelia wrapped cozily to her chest, she was vacuuming and talking on the phone to her mom. Derek was watching Casey preform the mundane tasks and was entirely enamored by her. Even when they were younger…Casey seemed so fascinating. After her dance classes she would practically float around the house. Drinking those idiotic health shakes and studying for her French test, murmuring words under her breath. Derek would hide her notes and jam the blender just to see those blue eyes spark and her cheeks tinge with pink. The ancient proverb _bad attention is better than no attention_ held so true for how he felt towards his-stepsister all through high school. She was an enigma in a good mood when she would dance with Marti and Lizzie in the living to the unbearable pop music. She was fascinating when she was furious, screaming his name and stealing his ipod.

Derek, much down the road, admitted to the marriage counselor (that his lovely wife Casey blackmailed him to attend) that he probably might have handled his young attraction to her a little incorrectly. To which Casey screamed "Der-ek, you dated my best friends, stole my tap shoes, put a laxative in my smoothie, and told any boyfriend I ever had that I was actually a man!" After that the counselor told them to take a five minute recess and try to remember why they loved each other… as Casey was slamming a box of tissues into Derek's skull…

"Hey, Derek." Casey's voice brought him back from a memory that still made him laugh. "Mom wants to talk to you." She was offering him the phone and he was angrily mouthing _nonono_ while pointing wildly to the tv. "Yeah, here, he is mom." _Little bitchy vixen._

"Oh, hi, Nora…yeah, no…I wasn't doing anything." Derek sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Casey took Amelia, who was beginning to fuss, into the nursery. Derek watched Casey sway her hips in those deliciously tight pants as she walked into the baby's room. "Good god…" he groaned and adjusted his crotch, forgetting he was still on the phone. "Oh, Nora. Yeah, good god. Can't believe Quinn wants only family at the ceremony…"

Casey unwrapped the sling and rested her beautiful baby girl on the changing table. Casey always saw herself as intelligent, independent, and logical. But when she looked at those almond shaped blue eyes and wild dark curls, she lost it. Many people think that Amelia was Casey's idea, and Derek would rather play hockey for his team and coach it at the high school, trying to cling to his youth awhile longer. But the reality was much different.

Casey was taught dance at a lovely little studio. She taught kids from kindergarten to their senior year of high school. In fact, her sub major in economics allowed her to work with the finances of the studio as well. It was a dream job. But she had no idea what to do with babies. She loved Marti but Marti was six when she met her…old enough to communicate her needs. Secretly, Casey had always been afraid of babies. They were so little and needy and easy to harm. What if her baby didn't connect to her…or died of SIDS at only a few months old. Or what if she lost the baby halfway through her pregnancy. Casey had no clue how to recognize different cries or giggles. Casey liked her schedule and being able to do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. But Derek…Derek was a natural. The angriest, whiniest, most selfish Venturi man had a way with kids and babies. Maybe because they spoke the same language. The conversation came about shortly after their second year of marriage. They were babysitting the three year old son and six month old daughter of their friends while they went out on a date.

It was eight that night and the little boy was fast asleep in Derek and Casey's bed. The little girl was lying in Derek's arms, reaching up to tug at his chin length hair. Derek was cooing and willingly watching Mulan.

"Hold on, Natalie. Hold on." He brushed his hair back and reached for a toy that Casey was clutching. "Sweetheart…you have to share the toys with the baby."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't even know I was holding it…" Casey handed over the pink and purple elephant. Derek wiggled the elephant in front of Natalie who giggled and squirmed.

"Don't drop her!" Casey said loudly.

"Casey, hush. Don't wake Nicky up. I'm not going to drop her."

"Okay…just be careful, Derek…" her voice was meek.

"Do you ever think about kids?"

"Of course! Matilda isn't progressing as fast as the other girls in her class. Daniel has so much potential but is being made fun of so I need to figure out how to boost his confidence."

"No, Casey. Not what I meant…I mean…us having kids?"

"Well…I guess I have. Sometimes. But not really. I mean, we're only 26." Casey hesitated.

"I know. Almost thirty. I want to be young enough to play with my son. And not be fifty when he graduates."

"You could have a daughter too." Casey reminded.

"Well, yeah. I know. But I would have to kill anyone who looks twice at her. So, a son would just be easier." He was trying to make a joke but the worried expression didn't leave Casey's face. The crease between her eyebrows was growing ever deeper. "C'mon, Princess. Think about it. Your eyes. My hair. Your nose. My sense of humor. Your insanely irritating intelligence." Derek leaned over to Eskimo kiss her, something Casey loved and Derek would never ever admit to doing.

"I'll think about it Derek." She promised. Derek sighed, knowing that Casey was going to obsess about this. Read every terrifying article. Study every horrifying statistic. She was going to make both of their lives hell with all of her research about kidnapping, death rates, and finances. She couldn't just think about the cuteness and sweetness of babies like a normal woman. He got up and put Natalie in her playpen.

"I'm going to go check on Nicky." Derek left the room. After he left Casey went over to the playpen. Natalie looked up at her with giant brown eyes and soft blonde hair and chubby baby cheeks and little baby toes.

"It's not that I don't like _you_." Casey told the baby girl. She reached down into the playpen and gingerly scooped up the babe. "It just…freaks me out how easily I could screw you up. Not feed you enough, or too much. Drop you. Let you roll off the couch. You choke on one of my earrings. I work too much and you never bond with me. I go crazy with depression and try to put you in the microwave. I don't make enough money to support you and we have to live in a box…"

Natalie seemed to be listening to this crazy woman babble on and on. She reached up a chubby little hand and Casey kissed each soft pudgy finger. Natalie in turn tugged Casey's hair. Little did she know, Derek was watching this from behind the couch with a smile on his face. Casey was batshit crazy. But for some masochistic reason that was why he loved her. Six months later, they were pregnant with Amelia, who was now blowing raspberry's up at her mother.

"You're so beautiful." Casey said sweetly. "And smart. One day you'll be an amazing dancer. Or a professor. Or a stay at home mom. Whatever you want to do as long as you're happy. " she kissed Amelia's nose.

"God damn, I forgot how much Nora can talk. Going on and on about Edwin and Quinn's lame ass wedding plans and how successful Lizzie's dojo is. Marti is the star of her play at school. She babbled on and on about all the stuff her and dad bought for Amelia. Seriously, this kid is going to be spoiled rotten by the time she's a year old. " Derek sighed all of this in one breath as he came into the pink and purple room. He handed Casey her phone and made googly faces at their daughter, Casey's hand was placed firmly on her belly so she couldn't roll around. "Oh, Nora and Dad want to take her for the weekend."

"The entire weekend?" Casey picked up Amelia and held her close. "Why?"

"Oh…I don't know. Because they want to bond with their only granddaughter and they want to show her off. And I haven't been able to do this in weeks…" Derek leaned down and gave Casey a long, passionate kiss…complete with a firm smack of her rear.

"Derek…" Casey was out of breath and her brain was fuzzy. Derek still kissed her the same way he did eight years ago…for the very first time.

"So, we're in agreement ." Derek took Amelia from Casey. "We pack up the goblin and ship her off to the grandparents so we can spend two days naked in bed."

"Der-ek! I didn't agree to anything!" she shouted as Derek left the room, ignoring her and talking to Amelia about their favorite hockey players.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for being patient with my delayed updates. Between being a mom and a college student it seems I have no time at all! Hope you enjoy this... :D

It had been three weeks since Nora and George left their oldest children at Queens University and Casey was really starting to feel in her element. She was taking a full course load and had finagled her way into working a few weekly shifts at the campus bookstore, a right usually reserved to upper classmen or extremely driven underclassmen. The calendar above her desk was filled with different colored post it notes reminding her exactly where and when to be.

 

Purple: English 120

Pink: Math 140

Green: History 134

Blue: Economics 101

Yellow: Dance Practice 

White: Work @ Bookstore 

 

Nora was worried Casey was taking it too seriously. She didn't want Casey to wear herself too thin, there just weren't enough hours in the day for her to do everything

she wanted to do! Casey nearly had to swear on the Bible that she was still eating, not living on coffee, and was sleeping an adequate amount. The last thing anyone wanted was Casey back in the hospital for two days from exhaustion and dehydration, just like over the winter break of Senior Year. 

 

"Alright in 1834 what did the councilman rule in favor of..." It was 6pm and Casey was mumbling to herself. 

"Casey, knock it off. I'm trying to watch a movie." Jade hushed her roommate from her bed. 

"Oh, sorry, Jade. Didn't know I was doing it again." Casey bit down hard on her lip and tried to focus her brain on the neon-notecards she had made for history.  _ C'mon Casey...the quiz is only a week away...focus!  _ She blinked hard and then looked up from her desk and out the window. She and Jade had a magnificent view of the Quad. It was a gorgeous September evening and there were several groups of students lounging on the soft well-cared for grass.  _ I need to go for a run. Cardio will help my fuel endorphins thus and focus my brain. _ Casey changed into running clothes and left the room without mentioning anything to Jade. 

 

She had already planned out the perfect route around campus. Tall oak trees. Peaceful paths. Great for thinking. She got to the path and started up, her playlist running from her phone to her ears. A beautiful mix of quick paced classical music. It really fueled the brain. Casey hit her stride and got lost in her head.

 

She made it into the woods and there were a few benches along the way, you could sit and stare at nature. Sometimes she would come out here and study. It was so peaceful and beautiful. That was until she saw her benches being abused. There was a couple sucking face in a disgusting display usually reserved for animals. The bottle blonde girl was sitting on the boy's lap and her mate was wrapped around her and nibbling on her neck. Casey slowed her pace as she got closer to the bench. She noticed the girl right away, it was Matilda Jackson, the captain of the Queen's Dance Squad. At this imperfect moment Casey's shoe decided to untie itself. Casey took one wrong step on a lace and went flying, landing face down on the pavement. Earbuds ripped from her head and her phone landed on the ground beside her. Right in front of her dancing superior, who already wasn't too keen on the over exuberant and too talented

freshman. 

"Oof..." Casey groaned. She honestly contemplated just lying there and letting the ground absorb her.

"Casey?" Matilda's voice was high and light, much like Barbie on too much helium. Idiotic. "Like, o h my god! Casey, are you okay?" Matilda parted from her male and hurried over to Casey. Sure, she didn't like her much...but she was one of the best dancers...

"Oh, um. Yeah, I'm fine." She scrambled to retrieve her phone. She looked up at Matilda and then directly behind her, where none other than Derek Venturi was sitting casually. Legs spread far apart and long arms resting on the back of the bench. A smirk resting comfortably on his face. "Sorry...I didn't mean to interrupt." Casey explained as she got to her feet.

"Oh, my god. Casey, um...I know what this looks like..." Matilda's face was bright red. Was she about to apologize for making out with her step-brother? How idiotic. Did she really think Casey cared? "Can you not tell anyone about this? I mean...I'm a junior who is volunteering in Haiti for a week and he is a freshman who still thinks sneaking into the girl’s dorm is risky and funny. But can you blame me...he's so yummy. Not for a boyfriend...but maybe a few late nights."

She winked playfully at Casey. 

"Uh, sure." Casey muttered. She didn't say anything about Derek and Casey's  _ unique  _ relationship. Not what she expected. But far more disgusting.

"Tilly, leave the klutz alone. Come back here." Derek's voice grated on every last nerve Casey had. 

"Hold on DerDer." Matilda flirted. "So, yeah. Just don't let it be known I'm slumming it in the freshman dorms.'Kay, bye! See you at practice!" she flounced back to  _ DerDer _ . Casey began walking away and could have sworn Derek was looking right at her. 

Casey made her way back to the populated campus and walked into the bookstore where her friend was working that night. Daisy Pope was also a member on the dance squad and nearly as talented as Casey. But she was far more outgoing, hence her approaching Casey and asking for tips on perfecting the more complex transitions. They’ve been a pair since the first practice three days into their college experience. That night Daisy was folding university sweaters for the display when Casey approached. 

“What’s up, Buttercup?” Daisy asked, looking up at her friend. “Whoa, man. You look like you just saw your parents having sex.”

“Little worse. And Daisy, that is quite crude.” But Casey was smiling in spite of the disgusting image. “Derek was making out with Matilda.”

“I’m-Better-Than-Everyone Matilda was looking for fresh meat?” 

“I think you’re missing the part that the fresh meat has potential to make my dance career hell.”

“What’s your brother really going to do?”

“ _ Step _ -brother, and don’t let that get too far. He could tell her that I throw up after doing too many turns. That I’m too weak to do any lifts or jumps...he could tell her I have syphilis and can’t do the homecoming game!” Casey was spiraling quickly into no-man’s-land. Daisy put down the sweaters and firmly grasped her panicky friends shoulders. 

“Okay, Casey. My lovely ball of anxiety. You are honestly over-estimating the length of their relationship. And seeing as I’m the only human on campus you speak to, Matilda would have to be a whole lot dumber than she already is to believe that you have an STD. So, take a breath. and help me color organize the sweaters. Color coding always soothes you.”

“Yeah, and you’re awful at it.”

“I’m color blind. Don’t mock my people.” Daisy laughed and pushed her friend gently. “So Matilda likes young blood...who would have figured.”

 

Across campus in the cafe, Derek was sitting with Sam and Robin, going to town on sloppy joes and mostly warm waffle fries. Sam and Robin were listlessly discussing hockey practice that night. Robin went to nationals three times during his high school. Derek was watching people move around the cafe. Keeners were nibbling on chips and pouring over textbooks. Dancers and others were taking up the biggest tables, laughing too loudly and talking about nothing. Small groups like his trio were scattered around having quiet discussions about little things and not so little things. 

Derek’s eyes landed on Matilda, whose lipstick was still smeared on his jaw. What did she use, hella-never-wash-off-permanent-marker-lipstick? Her hair fell to her waist and was flat ironed. Her eyes were coated with purple eye shadow and lips were a fake red. She was an amazing kisser with a mouth blessed by god. Her body was a ten out of ten, would recommend to a friend. They had screwed twice so far, but always by cover of darkness when her roommate was out and per agreement they never spoke in public. And they never talked about more than the weather, classes, and her dance practice. Matilda was vapid. Shallow. And genuinely uninteresting. Derek shoved a waffle fry in his mouth.

“D-Man, where the hell are you?” Robin tossed a mushy grape at his roommate. 

“Fuck, I don’t know.” Derek shook back to reality, realizing how creepy it was that he was staring at the dancers. “Giant quiz coming up in my history class.”

“ _ Our  _ history class.” Robin laughed. “Just take my notes and study.”

“Dude, I don’t study and you don’t take notes.”

“Alright, you caught me. I borrowed them from that smokin’ brunette who sits in front of me. I photocopied her notes. Super cute handwriting. Dots her i’s with hearts. Margins are littered with girly doodles. But I digress, she has an A in the class, so I figured she’s a safe bet.” 

“Alright, I’ll glance at those when we get back.” Derek muttered as Matilda left the cafe. She looked at him. He winked at her. She lifted her nose in the air and walked past. “Bitch.”

“Who you callin’, a bitch, ass face?” Sam asked as he took a bite of his sandwich. 

“If the shoe fits.” Derek laughed and shoved Sam. “Want to go shoot hoops in the gym?” he stood up and took his tray to the deposit conveyor belt. 

“Hell yes.” Robin was easily enthused. He too dropped his tray. “But I have to stop by the bookstore first. I need poster board for my biology course.” 

“Sure, sure.” Sam dumped his tray and the trio went to the campus store. As it was a Sunday evening the place was nearly deserted. There was a bored looking man behind the register. A hipster looking student was shelving books. A cute girl with short strawberry blonde hair was standing beside a girl in yoga pants and a fine ass. They were tossing little teddy bears wearing little Queen’s hoodies on top of a display.  

“Oh, man. That’s the sexy little thing whose notes I borrowed.” Robin said quietly.”Watch me operate.” Sam and Derek nodded boredly and fiddled with novelty pencils. Robin was an overly confident but kind hearted jock, he could have nearly any chick he wanted. Derek and Sam weren’t impressed. 

“Hey,” Robin’s voice was lowered as he approached the girls. “Can you show me where the poster board is?”

“Um, sure.” Daisy piped up ready to direct the customer, whom she just didn’t find attractive. Casey however began twirling the end of her ponytail, an anxious habit she didn’t know she had. Her cheeks were tinted pink and her mouth was dry.

“Oh, hey Casey!” Robin said happily. “I didn’t know you worked here.”

“I do. I mean not tonight. But most nights. Well, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Sometimes Saturdays. But yeah, I am here tonight. Just helping Daisy.”

“Hey, Casey. Can you show him where poster board is?” Daisy chimed in, stopping her friend’s puddle of word vomit from spreading. “I need to finish this display.”

“Oh, yeah. Of course. Right this way. Robin, right?”

“Yupp. We have history with Professor Faulkner together. You loaned me your notes.”

“Oh, I hope you could read my handwriting. My...a person I used to know said I had the penmanship of a dunk primate.” She tucked a stray hair behind her ear and thought briefly about Derek critiquing her loopy script. 

“Well, I think it’s adorable.” Robin paused for a beat. “Kind of like you.” 

“Um, well, that’s so kind. Thank you, Robin. Uh, here is the poster board. We have your basic white...green...pink...tri-fold.” 

“What a variety. What do you think would be best for a project about the biology of tree frogs?” Robin laughed. “Green? Frogs are green.”

“Well, they can also be blue and red and purple and many amazing colors.” Casey rambled getting a little lost in the way he was looking at her. His eyes were an amazing shade of green with gold flecks. His ginger ringlets fell to his shoulders. He had strong arms and was so very tall. His skin was a constellation of beautiful endless freckles. 

“As fascinating as tree frogs are...I was wondering something.” Robin ran a hand through his hair. “Would you like to go out to coffee sometime?”

“Oh, my god. Well, then.” Casey hesitated, thinking of her schedule that week. “I’m free Wednesday at three. After english but before dance practice.”

“A girl with a plan. I like it.” he picked out a piece of white poster board. “Can you meet at my dorm room? 112B in Omar House. My class gets out at 2:45 so I’ll be there as quick as I can. If not my loser roommate can let you in.” 

“Of course!” She was giddy. “I’ll be there!” 

“Awesome, can’t wait. See you around, Cay.” Robin departed and paid for the poster board. He rejoined the boys who were now battling with humorously large pencils and had no idea who Robin had just spent the last ten minutes talking to.

“I have a coffee date wednesday at three with the hottest chick with two majors. Derek if I’m not back from bio by then can you let her in. And not hook up with her.”

“I’ll do what I can. Knowing you it’s probably an uggo.” 

“Lazy eye.” Sam laughed.

“Snaggletooth.” Derek chimed in.

“Humpback.”

“Bad lisp.” 

“I’m not going out with Terri the Cafe Lady!” Robin shouted once outside. 

“Could have fooled me.” Derek was laughing too hard. “Sure, whatever man. I’ll let her in.” 

  
Back inside the store Casey was so giddy she could nearly have fainted. Wednesday couldn’t have come soon enough. Nothing could bring her down. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope it was worth the wait! Please let me know.


	5. Chapter 5

Wednesday at two Casey walked from her class back to the dorm. Her head was swarming with what to wear to her coffee date, what to say, what to do. She hadn't been on a date in months and the last time didn't go so well. It was a guy from her senior math class and it turned out he was just dating her to use her notes and get a good grade. It may have just been a simple coffee date, but that didn’t stop her mind from swirling faster than the tilt-a-whirl.

 

Casey unlocked her room and found it empty, as usual. Jade spent most of her time in other dorm rooms and Casey rarely saw her roommate.That was okay though as it was like having the single room she wanted anyways. After standing in front of her closet and angrily realizing she was in dire need of a wardrobe update, Casey decided on a shorter skirt and pink sweater with boots. She steadily put on her make-up and styled a careful half up hair style. After going as slow as she could, even then it was only 2:20. She groaned and sat down at the desk, determined not to leave before 2:40. 

 

After making note cards for English note cards and studying math equations for twelve minutes Casey could not just sit there anymore. She gathered her purse and left her room.  _ I'll just walk slower  _ she mentally bargained. But she still made it to Omar House room 112B at 2:43. She stood outside the door and fixed her hair one last time. The whiteboard on their room said "Robin + Derek" with a rather crude doodle underneath. Casey's heart jumped into her throat and pounded hard enough to give her a headache.   _ There are thousands of people on this campus. Bound to be more than one Derek.  _ Casey swallowed and timidly knocked on the door. It took only seconds before It swing open....and there he stood. 

 

He was wearing only a pair of jeans that hung low on his hips. His hair was shaggy and fell partially in his brown eyes.  He had a bag of doritos in his hand and shock on his face. Casey took in his appearance and wanted to turn tail and run. 

"Hi, Derek." She said quietly and clutched her purse in anxiety. 

 

"Casey." He said bluntly. "What the fuck are you doing here?" 

 

"I'm here for Robin." She pushed past him and into the room. "You don't talk to me for three weeks and the first thing you say to me is  _ what the fuck.  _ How poetic. Glad to see you haven't changed." She spat.

 

Looking around the room it wasn't what she expected. Honestly, it was cleaner than she imagined. All of their clothes were pushed into one pile, no hamper but better than strewn across everything. Food wrappers and trash weren’t everywhere. Derek's bed was unmade unlike Robin’s carefully tucked bunk. She went and sat down on it. 

 

"There are a thousand girls on campus and he had to choose you." Derek said through gritted teeth. Casey brushed a stray strand behind her ear and looked at her feet. Derek's heart was pounding. She looked so good...so, Casey. All the girls around here dressed like street trash. Letting it all hang out. But Casey was classic. Sexy and modest.

 

"Look, it's not ideal for me either!" Casey defended. 

 

"How do you even know Robin?" Demanded Derek. 

 

"He borrowed my history notes and we got to talking." She shrugged in a manner that said  _ it's none of your business.  _ Derek glanced at his desk where a copy of her notes rested. He had actually tried to study them...but got lost in her doodles of flowers and ladybugs. 

 

"Your penmanship hasn't improved."  He grumbled. 

 

"Oh, whatever Derek. At least I won't fail my freshman year."

 

"I have a 3.0 I'll have you know!" 

 

"Until midterms, you imbecile." She scoffed, then sighed. "Look, do you want me to wait in the hall?" 

 

"Why?" 

 

"So that we don't have to sit here screaming until my date gets here!" She fumed. Derek had missed this...he had missed her. He sat down on his bed across from her. 

 

"No. Then I would miss the giant vain in your forehead pulsing and rupturing all over the floor."

 

"How crude." Casey pulled her phone from her purse and checked the time. 2:50 and his class wasn't that far from the room she was trapped in now. She sighed...and gave being the bigger person a chance. "How are...things?"

 

"Pretty good, actually. I'm performing really well in hockey practice. Our first game is the end of this week." 

 

"Oh, I should come." She said easily. Derek's heart soared as if on helium and heroin. 

 

"Why would you do that? You hated watching my games." 

 

"Uh, isn't Robin on the team too? I would come support him." 

 

"He doesn't need anymore cheerleaders." Derek grumbled. "How about you? Um, things.  And whatnot." 

 

"Classes are great! My math professor is nearly 92 but so funny. I love English too, my professor is a really feminist hippie. Dance is amazing. I might get to be the freshman captain soon." She went on and on. Derek loved fighting with her but this is what he really missed. Her eyes dancing with what she loves. She was so passionate and fiery. She was beautiful. He bit his lip and nodded his head watching her babble. 

 

"Hey!" Robin announced his presence and his eyes went to the beautiful girl sitting on his bed talking to his hot mess of a roommate. "Geeze, Derek. Couldn't even put on a shirt. She's a lady." 

 

"Ha. As if." 

 

"Hey, man. Cool it." Robin was getting defensive. He was still unaware of how Casey and Derek knew one another. Casey stood up and walked over to Robin. 

 

"It's okay, Robin. That's actually the nicest thing he's said to me today. You see, Derek is my stepbrother.  We've kind of grown up together...well, for about five years." 

 

"Oh." His looked between Derek and Casey. "That makes sense. But Derek hasn't mentioned you...at all. Guess I didn't know." 

 

"You should ask Sam about the infamous Derek and Casey fights in high school." Derek laughed. Casey wouldn't admit that it stung her how Derek had never mentioned her, but he could read it on her face. And felt bad, briefly. 

 

"Maybe another time, man. Casey, are you ready to go?" 

 

"Certainly, Robin." She smiled up at him. He wrapped his arm around her waist...too close to her ass...and they left. Derek's blood was boiling. He shot a text to Sam. 

 

**Derek: yo, sam. Robin and Space Case are dating.**

 

**Sam: yeah. and? Aren’t you with a chick?**

 

**Derek: it's NOT okay. He's going to defile her.**

 

**Sam: Defile?  Really? D-Man she is a grown up. And she doesn't belong to you. Wtf is your problem?**

 

**Derek: Nothing man. Whatever. Youre no help.**

 

Derek turned on the TV and tried to focus his energy on Halo 3. It was only a coffee date. Those things only last an hour or two...max. And she had dance practice tonight. He only knew that because of Matilda. Not because he was trying to memorize Casey's schedule. Derek lost three games and then decided to text Matilda. 

 

**Derek: hey, baby. Wanna roll around tonight?**

 

**Matilda: No. And we're done. Okay? Cool. Bye.**

 

_ Fucking hell, I cannot catch a break.  _ Derek thought angrily. His stomach felt rotten, like he had eaten bad chinese food left on the counter overnight. He took a tennis ball and slung it against the door, it made him feel marginally better so he did it again. And again. And again. For an hour. Until he heard voices outside the door. He stepped closer and tried to make out what they were saying. 

 

"Thanks for this afternoon." Casey's voice was clear. "I had fun." 

 

"Me too, Cay."  _ Cay...CAY? No one calls her Cay. How idiotic is that?  _  "I'll text you later." 

 

"Arlight." There was a pause. We're they kissing?  What was going on? Half a minute later Robin came in. Derek took his roommate by the collar and slammed him against the wall, despite Robin being 4 inches taller. 

 

"Look here, Robin. That girl you just went out with...she's really special. So you had better not even think about fucking her over. She is weird and nerdy and high maintenance but she is pure and sweet and more beautiful than a fuzz ball like you deserves. If you even consider hurting her, Sam and I will kick your ass to the moon." He released Robin and walked to his bed. 

 

"God damn, Derek. If you were so in love with her you could have just told me." Robin went to go sit on his own bed. "You didn't have to go all mob boss on me. She didn't even kiss me. Just stared awkwardly." 

 

"Good...and I don't love her."  His voice was that of a petulant child. “My dad made me promise...to keep her out of trouble.”

 

"For someone you don't love...you sure are protective of her." 

 

"She's like my little sister." Derek lied. 

  
"I once flushed my little sisters fish down the toilet. He was still alive." Robin countered. Derek laid down on his bed and told Robin to shut up so he could get some sleep. He rolled over to face his wall and heard Robin mumble  _ she wouldn't stop asking about you.  _ But he didn't bring it up. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: eh? EHHH???? Thanks for all the support guys, I hope this lives up to your expectations. :) read response review. Much love, Little Crickett.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter is rated “T” for sure. Sexual content later on. This does take place in the present by the way. I hope you like this.

 

Derek was attempting to navigate the snowy streets of his and Casey's hometown. Amelia Isabel was sleeping quietly in her carseat and Casey was looking out the window thoughtfully. 

 

"Does it seem...smaller to you?" Casey asked. 

"What do you mean, babe?" 

 

"When we were younger this place seemed so big. Running around with Sam and Emily during high school. Coming back during college vacations...it seemed so big. But now it seems miniscule. Like everything we did doesn't even matter anymore." 

 

"Geeze, Space Case. We've grown up. We're not kids anymore. We have a kid now. But that doesn't mean that anything we've ever done no longer matters." Derek scoffed at his wife’s introspection. 

 

"Remember our first spring break home during college." Casey reached over and grasped his hand.

 

"Oh, god that was a mess." Derek laughed. "It was a wreck." 

 

"Mom and George were so mad." Casey's face was blushing at the memory. Derek kissed his wife's hand. They pulled into the driveway of their adolescent home. Derek had to admit it did seem smaller. Casey unbuckled and went to the back seat. Amelia was 8 weeks old and beginning to look like a little Derek clone. Except for Casey's eyes. She grabbed the massive diaper bag and the car-seat. 

 

"Derek, can you grab the bouncy seat and play yard?" 

 

"This little girl has more shit than I do." Derek groaned but did as he was asked. "Seriously, she weighs 10 pounds and is barely 2 feet long. Why the hell does she need all of this?"

 

"It is necessary for her development and stimulation. If she is staying away from us for nearly 3 days I want her to have all of her favorite things."

 

"Again. She is 8 weeks old. Her favorite things are your boobies and the tv remote which is so drenched in drool I can't hit the number nine anymore." 

 

"Der-ek. Come on. Help me with your daughter's stuff." Casey was serious but also laughing. The two lugged the stuff up to the front door and before they could knock the door swung open. Nora was smiling at the three of them and appeared so happy to see them.

 

"Give me my granddaughter." She took the carrier from Casey and ushered the new parents in. "How was the drive?" 

 

"Snowy. Everything Is cold and wet,  Nora. It's Canada in Winter." Derek deadpanned. He dropped the play yard and bouncy swing in the living room.  Marti was sitting on the couch tapping on her phone. "Hey, Smarti. Why are you home?" Derek greeted. 

 

"Hey, Smerek. Long weekend for teacher’s meetings or some crap. Did you bring the baby?" She responded.  They still kept up the Smarti and Smerek routine except for a short time when Marti was 15 and 16 and too easily embarrassed to use such baby talk.

 

"No. The tiny froggy bouncer is mine. It soothes my soul." 

 

"Smartass." Marti laughed. "I'm helping mom and dad with the baby this weekend." Since Marti was so young when George and Nora got hitched, she had just taken to calling Nora mom around the end of 1st grade. It didn't hurt Derek or Edwin any as their real mom was more interested in  _ discovering  _ herself in Spain. Though the annual holiday packages were always amusing. 

 

"Case has Amelia. Nora is busy fawning." Derek flopped down on the couch. 

 

"Look at this little doll." Nora gushed as she walked further in the room. Casey put down the empty carseat and diaper bag. She sat down in what used to be Derek's Recliner and curled her feet under her. Nora sat beside Marti with Amelia and both women fawned over her. 

 

"Mia, Mia, Mia. My marvelous mini Mia." Marti sang. 

 

"Mia?" Casey questioned. 

 

"Amelia is such a big name for such a tiny baby. And that's a song Derek used to sing to me." She explained. 

 

"No proof." Derek scoffed and rose from the couch. "Where's my dad?" 

 

"Garage." Nora said simply. "Mia suits her." 

 

"You know what? It really does." Casey agreed. As if to further press it Amelia giggled in response to her new name. Derek left the bunch of girls in the living room and found his dad out in the garage. The space heater was cranked and his dad was trying to restore old household items, his new hobby. A 1950’s radio. A 1930’s toaster. A 1980’s walkman. Today it was a washing machine from the twenties. 

 

“Dad your old age has brought up some really lame hobbies.” Derek said as he picked up a screwdriver. 

 

“Well, with all of you kids out of my house and my hair...I have a lot of free time. And there is no way in hell I am joining Nora’s book club.” he looked up at his son. Derek Michael was nearing 28, he was a husband, he was a father. And he was doing a damn good job at all of it. It was touch and go there for awhile, but George knew everything would turn out okay. Call it, father’s intuition. “How is Amelia?” 

 

“Oh, well. She’s going by Mia now apparently. But otherwise, good. She’s sleeping through the night mostly. And her spit ups are less frequent.” Derek tossed the screwdriver in the air. 

“I’m really proud of you, son.” George patted his shoulder firmly. “You’re doing really well with all of this.” 

 

“Thanks...can I tell you something without it ever being brought up ever again and in no way it makes me a permanent pansy.” 

 

“Shoot.”

 

“Being a dad. Being married. It’s actually the easiest thing I’ve ever done. And the happiest I’ve ever been.”

 

“Derek, that doesn’t make you a pansy. It makes you a man.” 

 

“Derek? George?” The garage door opened and Casey was standing in the doorway with Mia latched to her right breast. “Nora’s ordering pizza. What do you want?”

 

“Whatever she’s having.” Derek pointed to Mia. 

 

“Der-ek! That’s crude and inconsiderate!” Casey took the burp cloth on her left shoulder and used it to cover her daughter’s head. “You’re both getting pepperoni. Suck it.” she huffed and went inside. 

 

“Too much?” Derek asked George. 

 

“Too much.” George confirmed. 

 

Two or so hours later Derek and Casey were back on the road with an empty backseat. Casey was teary eyed and Derek may not have admitted it but he too was nervous about leaving Mia for the weekend. 

 

“So, what’s on the roster tonight?” Derek asked, reaching over to his wife’s leg. He slowly ran it up her thigh and she smacked him away. 

 

“Laundry and using our new printer to print pictures of Mia to frame and send to family members.” 

 

“Casey! Come on!” Derek groaned, extremely frustrated. “We are alone. For the first time in eight...nearly nine weeks. And you can see your toes this time! We can stop doing it doggie because your massive baby stomach is gone. This is  _ exciting!” _

“Despite you calling me massive...it can be exciting.” Casey was hesitant. 

 

“Open the glovebox, love.” Derek was rubbing Casey’s knee again. She opened the glove box and pulled out a pink and silver piece of paper. It was a $50 gift ticket for  _ Lust and Lace  _ an adult store in a busy shopping district of town. Derek and Casey had teased about shopping at the pink and silver store. Pink plush couches. Chrome finishes. Silver curly script labeling sections. They had gone to the website, but never actually inside the store. Ten years together made the couple more interested in other avenues of adult relationships. 

 

“D-derek...what?” Casey’s face was rapidly turning from pink blush to deep red mortification. “Oh my...oh…” she looked at the company's slogan on the back.  _ Lust for our good girls...Lace for our bad boys. _

“I’ve had this planned for awhile. This is all about you...okay, the silk pink teddy and lace panties are more for me. But the warming massage oil can be for you!” Derek pulled into the shopping district and got a perfect parking spot. Derek got out of the car and opened his wife’s door. “Keep an open mind, Princess.” 

 

They walked hand and hand into the store. It was classy and yet horrible. Vibrators, dildos, flavored condoms, warming and cooling and soothing and tingly lubes, edible panties, adult movies with actresses fresh from high school, costumes for males and females, masks, handcuffs, silk scarves...this place was a fantasy land. Casey was so mortified she couldn’t speak. Derek on the other hand looked like a kid in a candy store. 

 

A woman walked up to the couple. She was in blue jeans that looked painted on, a tight low cut black t-shirt, and six inch red stilettos. Her long blond hair was curled expertly and her make up made her look like the mix of a runway model and a porn star. 

 

“Hey, I’m Vanessa Vixen. Is there something I can show you to?” her voice was husky, dripping with sex. 

 

“Oh, my god.” Derek said. “Venessa? Vanessa Hindsley?” 

“Derek Venturi! You look great!” Vanessa's voice went back to a normal tone as they wrapped up in a hug. “God, Derek. I haven’t seen you since college. Remember you were dating that girl with brown hair...I was so drunk I threw up in her shoes at your dorm room after that party when she was away on a dance tour.”

 

“Oh, um Nessa. This is my wife...Casey.” Derek wrapped his arm around Casey’s waist.

 

“I had to throw those shoes out, Vanessa.” Casey said bitterly. She crossed her arms and scowled at the blonde bombshell. Casey was wearing black yoga pants and a purple t-shirt with breast milk on it. Her brown hair was thrown up in a horribly messy knot on top of her head. “Sorry, I look like a hot mess. I just had Derek’s daughter a few weeks ago.” 

 

“Oh, Casey. You look great.” Vanessa stammered. “We have a delightful selection of postpartum and maternity nighties. They slim the tummy and accent your breasts.” 

 

“Sound lovely. We’ll find them ourselves. Anything for anniversaries? We’ve been together for nearly ten years. That’s the age of your son, right?” Casey snapped, she walked away thinking it might have been too far but got distracted by a side room filled with clothes. She reached up to a rack of soft fabrics. She pulled down a teddy. 

 

Black satin, pink bow right between the breast cups, It fell right below the bum. Pink lace trimmed the bottom hem and between the breasts. It was sexy...Casey was blushing just holding the sheer fabric. 

 

“Oh, my god. He would lose his freakin’ mind. It looks just like the one that girl in the magazine wore. Really, Derek, hiding it in your gym bag..men are dumb.” Casey murmured to herself. She slung it over her arm and walked to a different section. Derek was with Vanessa in the lubrication aisle.

 

“Hey, Princess. Nessa was just helping me pick something you’ll love.” 

 

“Nessa, we’ve got this.” Casey dismissed her. Vanessa opened her mouth as if to say something but instead walked away to help a portly man looking at anal beads. 

 

“Casey, please don’t read more into this than there is.” Derek pleaded, hoping the sexy night he planned wasn’t ruined. “Besides, this gel warms as I rub and it smells like roses. He held it up to her and Casey took a sniff.

 

“I like it. Let’s get it. And I’m not threatened by Vanessa. I know that it doesn’t matter who finds my husband attractive, I’m the one you’re crawling in bed with.” she kissed his nose. “And she really doesn’t want to mess with a chubby hormonal woman running on four hours of sleep.” 

 

“That is so hot.” Derek murmured. “Let’s keep shopping.” He took her hand and led her around the store. They got the teddy, the lube, special arousing bubble bath, a dvd that Derek had to promise not to watch when Mia was in the apartment, and purple fuzzy handcuffs...just for a joke. 

 

Once home Casey flopped down on the couch. She flipped on the TV and watched the last couple minutes of Grease. Derek was giddy as he put their new toys away. He was in their room making the bed the way Casey liked. He laid the teddy on the bed and got hard just looking at it. He lit a few floral candles, that he secretly liked. He went into the bathroom that was attached to their room and began to run a hot bath. As he went to go get Casey, the phone in his pocket began to vibrate. 

 

**Nessa: Hey, man. It was so good seeing you today. Glad I got your number. We need to get together sometime. Lunch on me next week? :)**

 

**Derek: Sure, sounds great. I’m off on Tuesday but I have Mia because Case teaches a class.**

 

**Nessa: No problem!! I’d love to meet your mini-me. :))))) Gotta go. Ttys!**

 

Derek shrugged and tossed his phone on the dresser. Lunch with an old friend. Sounds fun. And a good chance for Mia and him to get out of the damn house while Casey taught her two hour class. 

 

“Casey.” he lowered his voice into that husky tone that drove her wild. He kneeled down in front of her and spread her legs, crouching between her knees. “Hey, sexy lady.” he kissed her thighs. He loved her long shapely legs and her new soft belly that she hated but Derek found irresistible. He wanted to kiss every inch of her but he paused at her slender neck and sucked gently. She moaned. 

“Derek…” she sighed happily. She ran a hand through his soft brown hair. 

“What?” Derek groaned sexily. “Tell me, gorgeous.” 

 

“Please…” she wrapped her legs around his waist. He took her shirt off over her head and sucked at her breasts, leaving gentle pink marks. His lips found hers and he unhooked her pastel yellow bra, setting her large swollen breasts free. 

 

“Please what, Princess? Just because you’re spoiled royalty doesn’t mean you don’t have to ask for what you want.” he was losing his composure under the touch of this amazingly beautiful woman.

  
“Please take me to the bath and have amazing sex with me until Sunday evening.” she leaned down and nibbled his ear. He grunted with indescribable pleasure. He lifted her legs and wrapped her arms around his neck. Bridal style he carried his wife into their shared room. They ignored the crib in the corner. The pile of dirty laundry on the closet floor. All of their social media and texts. For the first time in quite a long time...Derek and Casey McDonald-Venturi remembered what it was like to be 19 and in love.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been awhile. :) I hope this makes up for it. Also, this one takes place in the present.

By Tuesday morning the bliss of their bed spent weekend had faded. Derek was bottle feeding Mia on the couch. She was still in her pink zebra feetie pajamas looking up at her daddy with amazement in her blue eyes. She was tearing through the bottle without stopping and Derek thanked his lucky stars that his wife was a cow, constantly pumping milk so that Mia wouldn’t ever go hungry. 

“Babe, I think she’s going through a growth spurt.” Derek said, as he marveled at the nearly empty bottle. “She’s eating like a horse.” 

“Nine weeks. Sounds about right. We’ll see at her appointment on Friday.” Casey said as she came into the living room. She was fussing with her bun. She had put on a leotard with her pink yoga pants over it. Make-up, earrings, and even pale purple nail polish. 

“Wow, foxy lady.” Derek let out a lot appreciative whistle. 

“What? What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?”

“Nothing, it’s great! I haven’t seen you look...girly in a while.”

“Well, I got tired of being a frumpy housewife. And this is my first day back at class since Mia. I’m determined to lose this chub.” she gripped at her belly roll and grimaced. 

“Can we keep to boobs?” Derek whined. “We like the boobs. The boobs are wonderful!” Mia cooed in apparent agreement. 

“Der-ek. Is it always about sex with you? You’re like a pig headed fifteen year old.” 

“You love me.” he scoffed. 

“Whatever.” she walked over and picked up Mia. She gave a gummy smile at her mama. “How’s my baby girl? You drank all your milk? You’re growing so fast!” 

“Casey, you’re going to be late.” 

“Aww...but can’t I just stay home with you two?” she cuddled her baby girl to her chest. Mia tried to worm her way to her breasts. Casey went to the fridge and grabbed another bottle. “What are you two doing today?”

“Errands. Out to lunch with an old friend. Not much.”

“Wow, errands. Didn’t know you knew that word. Can you grab that hypoallergenic laundry detergent from the store. I think Mia is allergic to the kind we use. She keeps getting little rashes after we do laundry.” Casey handed the bottle and baby back to her husband. After kissing him on the head, wishing them both a good day, and tearing up a little, Casey grabbed her coat and left her tiny family to their own devices for a few hours. 

“She didn’t even ask who I was going out with.” Derek mused. Mia looked up at him as if to say Maybe she just trusts you that much. But actually she was just warning him that she was going to spit up all over his last clean shirt. “Really, Amelia? Yuck…”

One wardrobe change later, he set to work tidying the house while Mia sat in her froggy bouncer watching the least irritating kids program he could find. Vanessa and him had been texting since Casey left. He tried to text Casey a few times but to no avail. Around eleven Derek got Mia all gussied up in a pretty blue dress and white tights which were deceptively difficult to put on. She had little black mary janes and a big blue flower headband. So cute he felt less manly after looking at her. 

To kill time Derek went to the discount grocery store. He got a few necessary items, including the specialty detergent for Mia that Casey insisted on. All the while he had to beat off strangers ooing and ahhing at his daughter. Every couple feet another person told him how sweet she was or asked how old she was...couldn’t a man just buy antacids in peace?

It was a little after noon thirty when he showed up at a tiny cafe near their home. Vanessa was already there with a table and a high chair. In the high chair was a toe-headed little boy. He was giggling and smashing crackers. Vanessa looked very different than she did in the store. Her jeans were looser and faded, she wore an oversized purple sweater, and her hair was thrown up unceremoniously in a ponytail. 

“Hi, Derek.” She said when she spotted him. 

“Hey, Nessa.” he grinned and put Mia’s carseat in the empty chair. “Who’s the little man?” 

“My son...your wife wasn’t too far off. But he’s only two. Jackson, can you say hi to Derek?”

“Hi, hi.” he said without looking up from his crumb pile. 

“He looks just like you.” Derek complimented. Vanessa sighed. 

“Yeah, mostly. Except for those dammed freckles and dimples. All his father’s.” her voice was bitter like burnt coffee. But she quickly recovered. “Show me the baby!” 

“Here, is my Princess.” Derek unbuckled Mia and cradled her in his arms. She had snoozed nearly the entire time over and was still asleep. “Mia, this is Vanessa. Daddy’s very old friend.” 

“Hey, I resent that!” Vanessa laughed. “She looks like Casey. Very pretty.” She gingerly reached out to stroke a dimpled hand. 

“Yeah, Casey doesn’t see it. Everyone else does.” he paused to give the waitress who appeared his simple order. “How have you been?”

“Really good..for about a minute. I was a history major running the Egyptian section of a museum working on my masters until about three years ago. Fell in love. Got married. Turns out he was a douche weasel. Got hit. Got pregnant. Got kicked. Had Jackie. Got divorced. Got fired. Dropped out of school. Now I live in a tiny one bedroom apartment with my baby and I have an ex husband who won’t pay child support. And after I missed too many days of work because I couldn’t pay the babysitter, the museum wouldn’t let me come back. Which is why you saw me at Lust and Lace.” She said all of this with no inflection. In fact she was wiping her son’s nose through some of it. It was as if she had been over her situation so many times in her head, it just didn’t affect her anymore. She knew times were hard, there was no point in crying over it. 

“Wow...Vanessa…” Derek sighed, unsure of how to console. “That…”

“Sucks? Yeah, I know. But it is what it is.” she shrugged. “How are you?”

“Good. Really good.” He said slowly. It felt gross bragging about his life when hers was so awful. “I play hockey on a semi-professional league. And I coach it at the high school. Casey and I got married about three years ago. She teaches dance at Missus Clementine's. It’s a cute little studio. We have a nice apartment and finally aren’t hurting for much.” He was quiet, realizing how good he had it. They sat in semi-awkward silence for a moment. Mia was beginning to stir and Vanessa was digging for cheerios in her diaper bag. The waitress dropped off their food and left. 

“Can I hold her?” Vanessa asked after a moment. 

“Yeah, of course.” He gently passed the baby to the woman across from him. 

“She is precious.”

“Thanks, I designed her myself.” Derek laughed. 

“Oh my word, look at those big blue eyes.” Vanessa cooed. “She is a doll.” 

“Mama?” Jack asked. “Baby?”

“Yes, Jack. She is Derek’s baby. Isn’t she pretty?”

“Pretty baby.” Jack gently stroked Mia’s curls and Mia grasped his finger. “My finger!” he giggled loudly. 

“They’re like old friends.” Vanessa said. Derek laughed. The four sat awhile longer. Vanessa told Derek about weird customers. Derek told Vanessa about freaky high school kids.They talked about their children and compared milestones. Vanessa complained about her ex husband. Derek beamed about his wife. They talked until the kids were refusing to stay calm. Jack’s naptime and Mia’s diaper time. They parted ways and promised to do it again soon. As Derek loaded Mia into the car he saw Vanessa bundle her son up and stick him a stroller with three blankets to fight the freezing wind. All she had on was a thin coat and pair of old gloves. They were walking back to her apartment several blocks away. Derek’s heart hurt as he drove home. Once back he put Mia in her crib for a nap and started a load of laundry. He had just sat down on the couch when Casey came in, glowing the way she did after an intense dance session. 

“Hi, love!” she said as she flounced to the couch. She gave him a long kiss. She dropped her gym bag on the floor and went into the kitchen to make a berry blast protein shake. “How was your day?” 

“Good. Not much happened.” he shrugged. He wasn’t lying about Vanessa, but more omitting because even as innocent as it was Casey would not like him being alone with her...

The night they went to Lust and Lace, after two rounds of sex, she laid in his arms trying not to cry. She was snuffling against his bare chest looking at the empty crib. 

“Princess? What’s wrong?” Derek asked, upon realizing she was actually crying and not just clearing her nose. 

“I miss my baby.” Casey moaned and threw her face down in the pillow. Derek shushed her and rubbed her bare back in between the shoulder blades like she liked. 

“I know, me too. But she will be back soon! I promise, sooner than you realize.” he tried to soothe. “We will be covered in poo and up all night again in just two days.”

“She won’t even remember me.” Casey wailed. “She already likes you better anyways!” 

“Oh, dear lord Casey Jane.” Derek groaned, knowing he was talking to a fresh batch of hormones and not his wife. He scooped her up and placed her in his lap. “Stop this. Knock it off right now. You are her mother and you love her more than anything. And she loves you right back. So none of this bullshit about your daughter not loving you.” 

“Oh-o-okay.” Casey whined, trying to get her breath. 

“I’m going to go get you some water.” Derek kissed her head and left the bed to the kitchen. When he got back Casey was looking at her phone, on Facebook. “Here, babe.” 

“Thanks, Derek.” she took a sip and looked up at him. “Do you think Vanessa is prettier than me?” 

“What the hell?” Derek asked, almost afraid to get back into his own bed. He might as well skip the middle man and get his spot warm on the couch. 

“Well, look at her.” she held the phone up for him to see. “She’s gorgeous. And talented. I had forgotten she was on my dance team in college. She was the best one. And she loved you. Hell, everyone loved you.” 

“Casey...you’re going to that dark place. Shut it down.” Derek got in bed and took the phone from her, ignoring the fact that she had hunted down a woman on the internet just to creep on her pictures. Right now it was like trying to talk to a wounded deer so you could help bandage the dumb thing before it ran off. “I married you. I had a baby with you. Not Vanessa or Trixie or Matilda or Katie.” 

“I know but am I just your bronze medal?” 

“You are my gold medal dipped in chocolate, wrapped in bacon, deep fried, with a side of whisky.” he kissed her nose and laid her down. “Go to sleep, you crazy woman.” 

“I’m not tired, Der-ek.” she protested, but her voice was already far away. Casey was always amazed at how smoothly Derek could talk and get himself out of trouble. He stroked her hair until he was sure she was asleep. Then he put on his robe and went out to the living room to watch an old action movie from 1993. The clock told him it was only 1:25, how lame was he. 

“Well, that’s good.” Casey’s voice snapped him from his memory. She was taking off her shoes and pants, down to just the leotard. She let her hair down from the bun and sighed in a way that made his insides twitch with desire. “Did you get the laundry detergent like I asked?” 

“Yeah, babe. I did.” he said. Casey sat down next to him and pointedly put her feet in his lap. He began to rub them and she looked at him with thanks. “How was your first class back?”

“Good! I missed my kids. I missed dancing...though one cruddy thing did happen.”

“What was that?” Derek was only half listening, an art he had perfected. On the TV a monster truck rally was playing out. Mentally rooting for Gravedigger while taking notes on Casey’s day in case she questioned him later.

“My assistant quit. She and her husband are moving away...so now I have a class of twenty with no help. It’s just frustrating because I need to start looking for someone new.” 

“Bummer.” Derek said automatically. It didn’t click with him yet, but it would in a few days. The rest of the day was lazy with a fresh snow drifting to the earth. Derek and Casey took turns dozing on the couch. Mia played on the floor mat. It was perfection. 

Across town, Vanessa had her son playing in his room, fighting sleep. She was on the phone arguing with bill collectors, begging for just two more weeks. She couldn’t ask her mom for anymore and she had already taken out too many loans. She rested her head on the kitchen table and tried to fight the tears. Making two dollars more than minimum wage wasn’t going to cut it for much longer…


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back in College Days. :) I hope you haven't forgotten this story. Please read, review, and stay turned for more!

It had been about four weeks since that first coffee date and now it seemed that Robin and Casey were somewhat of an item. He would walk her to dance practice. She would sit in on hockey practices, while doing homework in the bleachers. They had been to the movies, dinner, and even short talks about spending a day or two with his family a couple miles outside of campus. 

 

That day Robin was walking Casey to her practice. Fingers interlocked and her eyes were speckled with little cartoon hearts. Robin knew how anal and obsessive she could be and it didn’t drive him totally crazy. Casey knew that Robin often ate with his mouth open and slept 6 feet from Derek but it wasn’t a  _ total  _ deal breaker. The leaves were turning gorgeous shades of auburn and gold with just the right amount of nip in the air. 

 

“So, I know the homecoming game is only a few days away but I still feel really unprepared.” Casey moaned. She had officially been promoted to captain of the freshman section and was dancing front and center in charge of seven other girls. 

 

“Cay, calm down.” Robin soothed. “You know you’ll be fine.” he picked up her hand and kissed it. 

“I know. I know. But I can’t get Vanessa to listen to me! We are the same age and with the same skill, nearly. But she just doesn’t respect me because she thinks she should be Frosh Captain over me..” Casey huffed. 

 

“Shh, you’re okay. So, I was thinking. Do you want to go on a double date?”

 

“With who?” 

 

“Derek and his girlfriend Poppy. Poppy brought it up. The four of us could go out to dinner and then mini golf or something.” 

 

“Wow. Well, that doesn’t sound awful.” Casey hesitated but it had been two months and it was time for Derek and her to be okay around each other, especially with Autumn Break coming up. They reached the gymnasium and kissed goodbye with Casey ready to stubbornly attack Vanessa for her lack of respect. 

 

The very next night Casey sat across from Derek and beside Robin. Derek with his hoodie and jeans and stupid green t-shirt made Casey squirm uncomfortably for reasons unknown. His hair fell perfectly over his hazel eyes and the way he looked at Poppy made her feel sick. But Casey chalked it up to the greasy cheese fries the boys had ordered. 

 

“So, we were both in line at the cafe and she took the last bowl of chocolate pudding.” Derek was telling the story of how he met this gorgeous redhead with catlike green eyes. 

 

“And I told him that if he wanted it, he would have to take me out.” Poppy finished and kissed the tip of Derek’s nose. “How did you two meet?”the way she clutched his hand and leaned into him made Casey’s stomach turn with what she assumed was rage. 

 

“Oh, um. I let him borrow my history notes.” Casey retold unenthusiastically. She hardly noticed Robin’s wounded expression. Casey plucked another fry from the pile and chewed slowly. 

 

“Well, that’s sweet.” Poppy tried. “Do you know Derek very well?”

 

“All too well.” Derek mumbled as he took a drink of his Dr. Pepper. 

 

“We are step-siblings. Our parents married when we were 15.” Casey explained. 

 

“How fascinating.” Poppy swooned. Robin rolled his eyes, he was quite tired of hearing all about Derek and Casey’s past. Their high school fights. Their summer fights. Their winter fights. Their family reunion fights. It was exhausting how everything was all about DerekandCasey not Casey and Robin or Derek and anyone else.

“No, not really interesting at all.” Derek bit off the words and his eyes met Casey’s with a burning intensity. She felt her face catch fire and her intestines began to squirm. “She made my life a living hell for four years and these two months apart have been heaven.” 

 

“Yeah, well our home life wasn’t exactly peachy for me.” Casey snapped. “I’m thrilled to be away from you.”

“Then why are you dating my roommate.” He arched an eyebrow, challenging her. 

 

“Because I like  _ him.  _ You are an unwanted accessory.” 

 

“Well, this is awkward. Poppy, let me show you the arcade.” Robin sighed. 

 

“Gladly.” Poppy said quietly. The two walked to the back of the pizza place to the sticky arcade with outdated games. 

 

“Well, thanks. You scared off our dates.” Casey pouted. 

 

“I didn’t do anything. It’s not my fault you’re so shrill and demanding.” 

 

“Der-ek! Can’t you ever just shut up!” 

 

“Space Case, I haven’t talked to you in  _ months.  _ I have effectively shut up to make you happy. But it's never enough. Nothing I do is enough. I give you space and you find my roommate. I find a girl I like and you are on the dance team with her. I find another girl I like and she wants to go out with you. I can’t seem to avoid you and your stupid brown ponytail or weepy blue eyes.” Suddenly Derek was too real. His voice was low and seething. Casey sensed this wasn’t their normal give and take fight, in fact Poppy and Robin could probably sense it across the eatery. 

“What was that?” Casey whispered. 

 

“Knock of the whiny woe-is-me act, Princess.” he got up from the table. “I’ve gotta piss. Don’t eat all the fries. We both know salt and grease make you break out.”

 

Casey was left alone at the table. Somehow her heart had gone cold. Even when everyone rejoined she still felt cold and lonely.

 

At the mini-golf course Derek tried everything to focus on Poppy but his mind wouldn’t get off of Casey. She was smiling but it was forced. She was laughing but it was shallow. She was holding onto Robin’s hand but it was loose. She wasn’t happy and he felt somewhat responsible. He scored a hole in one and Poppy threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. But her lips felt too wet and thin. Casey was watching this play out. Robin was watching Casey. The sun was setting. The date was ending. And so was something else. 

 

“Cay?” Robin asked. as the two couples walked back to campus. Casey and Robin were walking behind the other duo and Casey was glowering at the back of Derek’s head. Casey had been shoving Derek. Derek had been hitting Casey with his golf putter. They had spent a great deal of the excursion shouting at each other about points and rules. Poppy seemed to be taking it in stride, as she was currently holding Derek’s hand and swooning up at him, but Robin was exhausted. 

“Yeah, sweetheart?” Casey asked without looking at him. They had just reached the dorms and where the path split between the her dorm and their dorm. Robin stopped walking and faced Casey. The girl he was really falling for. She was cute and sweet and funny. Dedicated and stubborn. And one hundred percent in love with his roommate. Whenever she came over to hang out and Derek was there she would squabble with him and help him study while Robin was left alone to watch a movie. When she went to hockey practices and Robin looked up into the stands, Casey was almost always studying Derek. It was heartbreaking. Derek clearly returned the affection without so many words. He would ask about all the details of every date. He would find reasons to tag along when Robin walked Casey to dance practice. He would “casually” ask when Casey was coming back to their dorm room. 

 

“Can you be honest with me? Like, really really honest.”

 

“Sure, Robin. I’m always honest with you.” She tried to smile but something tasted sour in her mouth. This couldn’t end well.

 

“Do you like me? Enjoy spending time with me?”

 

“Of course! That’s why I’m with you!” 

“I just don’t think so...do you have feelings for Derek?” He tried to devoid his voice of tone or inflection but to no avail. He sounded sad and pathetic, even to his own ears. 

 

“What? Robin, no. He’s my step-brother.” 

 

“I know. But imagine for just one minute, that he wasn’t. He was just another man on campus. How would you feel?” He paused. Casey was silent, looking at the ground. “Your lack of response, is a response.”

 

“What are you saying?”

 

“I’m saying...well, I don’t know. I feel like sometimes you're just with me to be closer to Derek. I like you a lot...maybe even more than that. But you’re so mad about my roommate that I can’t stand to see you pine over him while trying to be with me. I want you to be happy. Even if it's not with me.” he leaned down and kissed Casey’s cheek. Casey was welling up and trying to wipe her eyes to keep tears from falling.

 

“Bye, Robin.” she mumbled. 

 

“Bye, Casey.” he turned to walk away, but stopped short. “He feels the same way, you know.” 

 

Casey got back to her dorm, her heart heavy. Derek had ruined another relationship of hers. The small room was empty and dark. Jade once again, was missing. She flicked on the light and slowly undressed. Robin and Casey had only been together little more than a month so she was unsure why she was so sad. She was trying to fight the thought that she was so upset because she now realized that in Robin leaving her, she couldn’t see Derek as frequently. 

 

She got under the covers and pulled out her book from under her pillow. It was only nine at night but she was beyond tired. She curled up and faced the wall, leaving the lamp on. Just as she was drifting off her phone chimed from her desk. It was from Nora. 

 

**Mom: Hey, sweetheart. I hope everything is well. I know your long thanksgiving weekend is coming up...but we’ve decided to take the younger kids to see George’s family in South Dakota. Their break is shorter and earlier than yours, so I hope you don’t mind staying at Queen’s during the break. We will do our big family holiday in a few weeks! I love you!**

 

**Casey: No, mom. That’s fine. I love you too. Does Derek know?**

 

**Mom: George just let him know. We will send two huge care packages. :) :) :)**

 

**Casey: Okay, neat! Send my love to everyone.**

 

**Mom: Will do. See you soon, my sweet girl. <3**

 

“Fucking, hell.” Casey sighed. All she wanted was to go home and snuggle with her mom and watch their shows. But now she had to spend another two weeks alone on campus. She replaced her phone on the dresser and closed her eyes again. Just as she relaxed a loud demanding knock sounded at her door. She got out of bed and opened the door to see a certain Venturi standing in the hall. Same jeans, hoodie, and disheveled hair, only now he had an added look of annoyance. 

 

“What Derek? I’m really not in the mood.” she crossed her arms defiantly and mentally refused to let another irritant in. Derek took her appearance in. Pink girly pajama pants, white tank top that was vaguely see through and no bra. Hair tossed up messily. And her eyes were puffy and pink, had she been crying? 

 

“I assume you got the call?” Derek demanded, pushing past Casey. 

 

“No, Derek. I got a text. A very rude and unceremonious text alerting me that while all my friends went home to see their families I would be spending another six days alone with you!” she had been approaching Derek while saying all of this and to punctuate her final word she pushed the palms of her hands into his chest. He looked quite taken aback, and she liked making him look like that. She shoved him again, this time he hit the desk. “I miss my family and you are being a...a...douche weasel so I don’t even have you!” 

 

“Watch out, Princess. You shove me one more time and it won’t end well for you.”  His voice was barely above a growling whisper. She reached out to smack his face, feeling almost five years of anger and frustration and hostility bubble up inside of her. He caught her hand and then in one smooth motion he used it against her to spin her around and effectively chicken wing her. She brought her foot back and used her heel to kick him in the shin. He doubled over and she began swatting his back, unaware that she had begun crying. Derek bundled her calves together and hoisted her over his shoulder and threw her on her bed. He crawled on top of her, pinned her wrists down, and was about to work up a large ball of spit when he noticed she had stopped fighting back. He looked down at the dainty girl he had pinned between his rather muscular thighs. Her fragile wrists were secured under his large hands. They were inches away. Her Blue Raspberry Jolly-Rancher eyes were quivering with excitement, fear, and confusion. Slowly, very slowly, Derek leaned down and placed a nearly invisibly light kiss on her nose. 

 

“I win.” He declared. Derek rolled off of her before she noticed the tightening in the zipper region of his jeans. Casey sat up on her bed and pulled her knees to her chest. “Douche weasel, Case?” 

 

“It was all I could think of.” She sighed. “Robin broke up with me.”

 

“I know. I'm gonna kick his ass next time I see him.” 

 

“Why?”

 

“He hurt you.” Derek shrugged like defending Casey was something he did everyday. “And only I get that privilege.” 

 

“Where have you been for two months?” Casey mumbled and rested her head cautiously on Derek’s shoulder. He didn’t respond immediately.  

 

“I was giving you space.” he paused. “Did you miss me?” 

 

“Only a very marginal amount.” she mumbled. 

  
“I’m back.” he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gently rubbed her arm. “I really need to teach you how to swear.” 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alas, spring break has come to an end. I hope you enjoy this chapter as I'm not sure how regular my updates will be. Also, this chapter has quite a bit of mature content towards the middle. Just a heads up. <3

As the week trailed on more and more students went home for the autumn holiday. Including Jade who had left Casey with no more than a note on her desk that read "Please, don't touch my things." Across campus however, Robin and Derek were having a more complex goodbye. Robin's eye was still a revolting purplish color and Derek was still on edge about he left things with Casey. He hadn't left her dorm until well after visiting hours closed. She sat on the bed,  he sat at her desk, and they talked the way adults were supposed to talk. About school, hockey, dance, their family, their friends, and their newly separated lives. Derek admitted to dating Matilda to get closer to her. Casey told Derek that she was actually quite lonely without his ever nagging presence. When Derek walked into his room at three in the morning Robin was on his computer scrolling his blog. He turned around to look at Derek with sad eyes that were rimmed with red. Derek hoped it was allergies because punching an already crying man was low even for him. 

 

“How is she?” Robin asked. Derek clocked him in the face so hard Robin’s chair was pushed back and the air was knocked out of him. It took a minute of the two boys standing and staring at each other before Robin said anything else. “I expected that.”

 

“Good.” Derek said. He took off his shoes and pants and got into bed without another word. The afternoon Robin was leaving the boys hadn’t said much more to each other. Derek was reading an article in a car magazine and Robin was shoving more laundry in a duffle. 

 

“Hey, man.” Robin finally said, as he pulled a chair over to Derek’s bed. 

 

“What?” Derek didn’t look up from his magazine. 

“I’m sorry. Look, I don’t really know what I did...but I didn’t mean to step on any toes. You two really are meant to be. I don’t get it. I don’t think anyone does or ever will. But you have a week by yourselves. Make it count. And when you get really good and close to her...look in the bottom drawer of my dresser.” Robin stood up and pushed the chair back to the desk. He was about to leave the dorm when Derek’s words caught him. “I was saving it for something...but it doesn’t matter now.”

 

“Sorry, I punched you, man.” 

 

“We’re cool.” 

 

Not even an hour later Casey was knocking on his door. They hadn’t spoken more than a few texts since their late night together three days ago. When he opened the door she was holding a giant dish of mac n’ cheese and a six pack of root beer. 

“Hey, uh, happy almost thanksgiving.” she was hesitant, half expecting another girl to be in the room.

 

“Um, yeah. Cool. Thanks, come on in.” He let her moved past him. Suddenly his insides were twisting like he was slow dancing with the cutest girl in 8th grade at the fall formal. Not about eat mac n’ cheese with his step sister whom he has known for six years. Casey sat the bowl on the desk and produced two spoons from her pocket. She rigged a soda lose and tossed it to Derek. 

 

“So what’s up?” She sat down at his desk and pulled on foot up and under her and crossed her other leg over her bent knee. She looked so casual and gorgeous in her tights and oversized hoodie. How did girls even sit like that? Didn’t it hurt like hell? “Uh, Derek? Who’s being a space case now?”

 

“Oh, what? Nothing. Nothing’s up. Robin just left.”

 

“Oh, Jade too. But it’s not like she is ever there anyways.” Casey shrugged and took a large bite of mac n’ cheese. 

 

“What a dream. I’m so tired of seeing Robin’s underwear on his bed.”

 

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure Jade doesn’t even exist. I might have just made her up.” Casey giggled in that intoxicating way only she could. 

 

“Well, that doesn’t surprise me. You’re kind of insane.” He walked over to her and took a giant bite of Mac n’ Cheese. “This so so good, Casey. Really. I can’t remember the last time I’ve eaten something that wasn’t kept warm under a lamp.”

 

“Thanks. I make it the only way you’ll eat it. Two cheese packets and extra butter.” She shrugged like it was no big deal that she special made his food. “So, you wanna watch a movie?”

 

“Yeah, sure.” Derek smiled at Casey and something inside of her lit on fire. A piece of her she wasn’t even sure existed anymore.

 

Around midnight that first night they had watched three movies, played two games of L.I.F.E. Casey had directed him on how to properly do his laundry instead of just haphazardly tossing it all together. They were laying on his bed binge watching an old sitcom online. Derek had his head in her lap and she was lazily twirling his hair. The pair didn’t remember how they found themselves in this intimate of a position but neither had said anything in about two episodes.

 

“I’m so bored.” Derek moaned. He rolled over and pushed his face against Casey’s stomach and began growling and biting her belly gently. 

 

“Derek, knock it off!” she laughed and pushed him away, not willing to admit how precious he was. 

 

“Uggghhh, Casey. I’m bored!” he rolled off the bed and landed on the floor. 

 

“Let’s go play pool. In the rec room.” Casey suggested. 

 

“You hate pool.” Derek countered and pulled himself up to look at her. 

 

“No, I hate that you always think you’re better than me at pool.”  Casey said haughtily.

 

“Fine, let’s go. I’m going to kick your ass and you’re going to hate yourself for suggesting such an activity.” 

 

“Oh, bite me.” Casey reached out her hands and Derek hoisted her to her feet. The two trailed down to the rec room and both were rather stunned by the silence. Usually the dorms, especially the male dominated ones, were always extremely boisterous and...well, disgusting. With nearly four fifths of the campus homeward bound the rec room was eerily quiet and there were no soda cans, food wrappers, or socks lying around. Derek went to the information desk to check out the supplies from a doughy upperclassman named Janet who hadn’t left for the holidays. Derek technically shouldn’t have even been allowed to be doing so, seeing as he had already lost four foosballs and popped the volleyball. But as usual, his Venturi charm got him what he wanted. Casey racked up the ball and after Derek insisted on  _ age before beauty  _  she cracked the triangle and sunk three balls. 

 

“I’m stripes.” Casey boasted and flounced around the opposite side of the table. “And only four months older than you, so it hardly counts.”

 

“As long as we’re admitting I’m more beautiful.” Derek muttered as he tried to aim up the tricky shot his counterpart had left him. 

 

“Oh, yes, Derek. You’re gorgeous. Stunning. Put on some mascara and wriggle you into a dress, you can be our homecoming queen.” 

 

“Oh, stuff it McDonald.” Derek laughed as he managed to slip a solid into the pocket. The two played and bantered their way through two and a half more games. It wasn’t until Casey produced and window shaking yawn that Derek even bothered to look at the clock on the wall. It was half past two in the morning. Most of the balls were off the table and Casey was leaning against the table and resting her head on the pool cue. Her ponytail had long ago been released, leaving her hair in loose waves surrounding her sleepy face. Derek’s stomach was doing the fluttery thing again as she wiped sleep from her eyes. He was standing a few feet away from her but it felt like she was electrocuting him.

 

“Damn, Derek…” she sighed. “Haven’t you realized I can kick your ass at pool yet? I’ve won like..three games…” 

 

_...five seconds of insane drunken idiotic courage is all you need to change your life… _

 

Derek closed the distance between them.

Casey’s head instinctively lifted to look into Derek’s eyes. 

Blue met hazel and the electric shocks transformed into a lightening storm. 

Derek put a hand on Casey’s jaw.

It might have only been half a second but as he moved his lips on to hers time ceased to make sense or even exist. He expected her to push him away. Run off to her room. Call George and Nora. And never speak to him again.

Instead...she breathed a single word...that sounded oddly like his name…

 

Their lips met and were frozen with fear at first….they’ve made it this far...what happens next? Casey, always the dominant figure made the next motion. She parted her lips ever so slightly to get a better angle. Their lips moved in sync their tongues tentatively touching in a way neither Casey and Derek could have even imaged two months ago. 

 

Macaroni, root beer, and various candies had never tasted so good on another human’s mouth. Derek moved his strong athletic hands from the small of her back to her waist and hoisted her onto the pool table. Casey wrapped her long dancer’s legs around his waist and buried her hands in his hair. The kisses had gone from timid to torrid in a matter of a minute. Hands were melting flesh and lips were coaxing clothes to shed. Derek pulled off Casey’s hoodie to reveal a small blue tank top that hugged every curve of her torso.

 

“When did you get those?” Derek panted, while looking at her firm round breasts. 

 

“Probably around senior year...the same time you began ignoring me.” She continued placing flaming kisses on his neck and jaw.

 

“Shit….Casey……” Derek moaned and glanced at the information desk. The light was off and the desk was empty. They were alone…totally alone….Derek gently pushed Casey onto the pool table and Casey tugged Derek’s shirt off his broad shoulders. He was even more defined than high school...college work outs had done him well. Suddenly...Derek stopped…

 

He pulled back from Casey and looked at her….really looked at her for the first time in such a long time. She wasn’t that little girl that used to annoy the piss out of him but he would dream about in long showers. She wasn’t an insufferable know it all so much anymore. She wasn’t unattainable or forbidden. She was right here….writhing under him...looking up at him with those giant blue eyes that could melt every part of his soul. When had Casey grown up? When had he? 

 

“Derek...what’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?” Casey tried to keep her voice from warbling and tried to keep her brain from thinking this was an elaborate prank just to humiliate her. 

 

“No, nothing.” His voice was soft. He reached out and brushed a stray hair out of her face. “I was just thinking...about how beautiful you are right now…”

 

“Oh,” she sighed with relief and wonder at how much he had changed in six years. He hadn’t put itching powder in her underwear drawer. He hadn’t spread viscious rumors about her. He gave her flowers when she danced at the homecoming game. And bought her cough drops because she said her throat was sore. Who was this gentle man that had grown out of that asshole cocoon of the boy she once knew? 

 

“Yeah.” he leaned down and kissed her again, pressing the play button on their commencing actions. Casey scooted back and Derek climbed on top of the pool table. She was lying down, propped up on her elbows. He was on his knees straddling her legs. They stared at each other so intently a marching band could have paraded through and they wouldn’t have noticed. Without breaking eye contact Casey silently slipped off her tights, green lighting Derek for whatever was to come next. 

 

“Your turn.” Casey said in a daring voice. Somehow this had become a competition of sexual bravery. Derek looked down at Casey lying in front of him in nothing but pink panties and a tank top. His cock was straining against his denim and was eager to escape. With a smirk Derek unzipped his jeans and pulled them and his underwear down to his knees. Casey gulped hard when she saw her step-brother’s...no,  _ Derek’s  _ dick for the first time. 

 

“Pretty impressive, right?” He laughed lightly. Casey rolled her eyes. 

 

“Shut up.” she whispered and pulled him down on top of her. 

 

It was seven in the morning when Casey woke up on the rec room couch. She had on her panties and Derek’s shirt. Derek was squeezed in behind her in just his boxer briefs. He was still fast asleep. His mop of brown hair was still damp with sweat and his snores were more of exhausted snuffles. Was it two...or three times that they did it? Casey shook her head to clear it just a bit and looked around the room. The morning autumn sun was pouring in the windows and the room was a bit….distraught. The pool table was mildly wet and stained. The chair cushions were askew. And clothes lie around the floor haphazardly. Casey, being Casey, straightened up the room then went over to Derek. 

 

“Hey, Derek.” she shook him lightly. “Let’s go upstairs.”

 

“Huh, Princess?” He kind of leaned up but was still asleep.

 

“We need to go upstairs before the cleaning crew comes around.” she tugged his arm and he slowly got up. The two trudged back to his room and the exhausted pair crashed onto his bed and slept well into the afternoon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read and review. I love reading your opinions. Have a beautiful day!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ever wonder how the first time Casey and Derek ever met went? Probably not great. Well...enjoy my opinion. Please leave reviews and kudos and bookmarks. I love them all and eat them up like tiny cookies. Thank you!!

_******Where it all began...** _

It was winter. Snowy. Cold. Stupid. Fourteen year old Derek Venturi sat in the front seat of of his dad’s car with his iPod blasting in his ears so loud he couldn’t hear his nearly five year old sister and just turned twelve year old brother. George Venturi reached over and yanked an earbud from his son’s head, which was a challenge because of Derek’s shoulder length hair that he chose mainly because George hated it.

 

“Derek, you had better be on your best behavior.” George preemptively scolded. George was taking his three kids to meet Nora, the woman he had been quietly seeing for half a year. The two had become rather serious and decided it was time the families officially met. “I know Casey and Lizzie might not be your style but you will not say anything rude, crude, or distasteful. And you will be an absolute gentleman towards Nora. She is a very kind lady who is very interested in meeting you.” 

 

“Didn’t you say Lizzie is my age?” Edwin piped up from the backseat. 

 

“Yeah, she likes soccer and karate.”

 

“Oh. Interesting.” 

 

“Does Nora have any sisters for me?” Marti’s tiny voice came from her booster seat.

 

“Casey and Lizzie will NOT be my sisters.” Derek snapped. 

 

“You don’t know that. Dad and Nora have been together for seven months. Average couples move in together around a year. And after that they perhaps could get married. It’s anyone’s guess. Do you want to marry her, dad?” Edwin asked. 

 

“Whoa, boy’s calm down. This is just a friendly lunch meeting at a pizza place. Pizza, we like pizza.” George sighed. Honestly, he hadn’t thought too much about marriage. He had briefly met the girls once before and they were very nice, but George knew his three kids came first. The same went for Nora and her girls. Which is why he and Nora had kept the kids separate up until now. If everyone didn’t get along...then maybe this relationship couldn’t go any further…

 

“I like pizza!” Marti chanted with her father. 

 

Twenty minutes later the two families were sitting around a round table with a tacky white and red checked cloth that was supposed to make it look like a real italian bistro. After general introductions no one had spoken for a few minutes and everyone was quietly sipping on their drinks. 

“So, Casey.” George started. “How were your winter exams?”

 

“Really well! I know I aced all of them. Which was really tricky because I was the lead dancer in two seasonal performances.” she was bragging a little bit, trying to impress the man her mom swooned over. 

 

Fourteen year old Casey looked at the motley crew George had dragged along. A small girl in purple polka dot tights, a blue tutu, and a bright orange sweater. A young boy a tad on the geeky side with a shirt so large it had to belong to the male on his right. So, this was Derek. He hadn’t looked at her yet, not that she could even tell. His stupid hair cut blocked his eyes. His shirt was black with a screenprinted band name and his jeans were foolishly ripped in the knees. He looked like the street rif raf Nora warned her about before she entered high school earlier that semester. 

 

“Wow. Very cool. Good job. What about you Lizzie?”

 

“Umm...good. I’m on the girl’s hockey team...but that’s only until Soccer starts.” 

 

“Impressive.” George said. Edwin nodded approvingly. A soft scoff came from Derek, who refused to believe that a little girl like her could handle the manly sport of hockey.

 

“Do you like Monster Blaster Three? I hear they have it in the arcade in back.” he asked excitedly.

 

“I have the high score.” Lizzie bragged.

 

“Not for long! Can we go play, dad? We’ll be back for pizza.”

 

“Yeah, mom. Please?” Lizzie begged. Nora laughed and handed her daughter several coins. Typically, she didn’t enjoy her daughter playing such revolting games but right now bonding was better than lesson learning. 

 

“So, Marti. Do you like preschool?” Casey asked. Derek scoffed again and rolled his eyes. “Excuse me?” Casey asked with an eyebrow arch.

 

“Oh, nothing. It’s just, Smarti’s not a baby or a puppy so stop talking to her like one.” 

 

“I wasn’t! I’m genuinely interested in her school.” 

 

“She doesn’t go to school. She colors and plays with blocks all day. But that doesn’t mean you need to talk down to her.” 

 

“I’m sure she does more than that. Maybe you should give her more credit.” Casey snapped.

 

“I ate blue paint and threw up blue. Mrs. Connelly didn’t think it was funny but Joey did. Joey is my friend. We have a class rabbit. He’s white with really tiny red eyes and long ears. Joey acts like the bunny sometimes. It’s funny because he hops around but Mrs. Connelly doesn’t think that’s funny either.”  Marti said in one long wind then took a big drink of her chocolate milk.

 

“Wow, sounds….neat.” Nora laughed and looked lovingly at her partner who was turning a deep pink. 

 

“Marti, sweetie. Let’s not tell paint eating stories at the dinner table.” George laughed. Casey and Derek were still locked in a death stare. Her brown hair fell to her chest and was annoyingly straight and worn with a light blue ribbon that matched her eyes. She was dressed like a grandma in a long sleeved white dress and pale blue cardigan. Just looking at her made Derek’s guts twitch with anger. Or something confusingly similar to anger. 

 

“I’m going to go check on Edwin and Lizzie.” Derek excused himself from the table and to the arcade. 

 

“Me too.” Casey said quickly. She trailed behind Derek and grabbed his arm to stop him. “Hey, Derek. Let’s start again.”

 

“What if I don’t want to?” He said coldly.

 

“Well, it’s not much of a question. My mom likes your dad but we don’t like each other.”

 

“Clearly. You’re a geeky brown nosing spoiled princess.” 

 

“And you are angry without purpose and dress like a rebellious thug.” She shot back and crossed her arms.

 

“Whatever, Casey.” he huffed and turned away. 

 

“Don’t you want your dad to be happy?” Casey said. Derek stopped in his tracks and sighed. 

 

“Fine. Just don’t talk to me and we’ll be fine.” 

 

“Works well enough for me.” Casey spun around and went back to the table. Another hour of small talk and awkward chuckles passed before the McDonald girls were in their car headed home. 

 

“So, what do you think?” Nora asked hesitantly. 

 

“Edwin is pretty cool and Marti is cute. Derek is okay, I guess. He didn’t talk much.” Lizzie supplied. 

 

“I like Edwin. He’s pretty funny. Marti is a doll.” Casey added. “Derek…is Derek.” 

 

“Agreed.” Nora laughed tightly. “So, do you ladies see a future in this relationship?”

 

“Yes.” Lizzie said immediately.

 

“I don’t see why not.” Casey said chipperly. “Whatever makes you happy, mom.”  

  
  


Back with the Venturi clan Marti was passed out in a pizza and milk coma in her booster and Edwin was reading in the back seat beside her. Derek was moodily staring out the window. 

 

“Derek, what do you think? The other two raved about the girls. What about you?”  George asked hopefully.

 

“Lizzie is cool. It’s her sister that gets under my skin.”

 

“Why?”

 

“She’s….such a goody goody ball of freakin’ sunshine. It’s nauseating.” 

 

“I know. She’s like the anti-you.” George laughed at his son’s expense. 

 

“I really hate her, dad.” Derek sulked in classic teenage angst.

  
“Well...maybe one day you won’t.” In that moment George decided to marry Nora. He figured Derek only hated Casey the same way he hated doing the dishes or hated reading books without graphically violent images. It was also a great comfort knowing that Derek had no physical teenage interest in Casey. That what what had actually sealed the deal. George called Nora that night and the two swapped their children’s opinions. Pleased with the results of their experiment, the McDonald ladies moved into the Venturi household less than four months later. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updating has been slow as this isn't my main story and school/work/parenting are insane. But school is out now so I can update more frequently. Tonight you get TWO chapters!

Three days later, the break was winding down and kids would be returning to campus the next day. Casey had gone back to her room for the afternoon because she needed...a break and a shower. Derek was lying on his bed in a lazy blissful state, nearly asleep but still plenty awake. The past three days had pretty much eliminated any awkwardness or hostility between the two. It was proving really difficult to fight while making out or participating in other recreational activities. Casey was actually really good in bed, which was a shock because in their Pre-Make Out days she was quite the prude. 

“Derek, do you honestly think you were my first?” Casey giggled while lying in bed with him on the second day. They had ordered a pizza and had made it halfway through the dish before playing never-had-I-ever.

“Well, I was hoping, you hoe.” Derek sulked. “It wasn’t Robin was it?”

“Don’t be rude, Derek.” Casey scolded. “And, no, Robin was a perfect gentleman.” she crawled out from under the covers and straddled Derek’s chest. 

“Was it Sam?” Derek put his hands around her waist, not sure if he liked this conversation.

“No, do you really want to know?” Casey sighed as Derek gave a half nod. “It was Paul the last half of senior year. He and I were together for a few months...but it turns out he was a complete idiot. So, I dumped him. But he and I had...engaged in private activities three times during that.”

“And I didn’t know?” Derek was downright indignant.

“Well, you didn’t ask.” Casey shrugged and kissed his nose in a haughty fashion. A little smug that she had hidden something from the naked Venturi under her. “Who was yours anyways?”

“My what?”

“Your first time.” 

“Sarah Wind. Summer before our sophomore year. You were actually in the house. Supposed to be “supervising” while the others went out. I took her to my room to show her my vintage t-shirt collection while you watched The Sound of Music for an ungodly fifteenth time...and things happened.” 

“Der-ek! I remember that day. That’s so wrong!” Casey shrieked and climbed off of him. “You betrayed mom and George’s trust. Oh, and Sarah is such a...bad person. And gross...I was just down stairs while some trashy girl took your virginity.”

“Wait...took mine?” Derek ignored the rest and targeted on the way Casey said the last sentence.  
“You don’t honestly think you were Sarah’s first, do you?” Casey laughed. 

“Well, I was hoping…” Derek sulked and Casey cackled. Derek, in spite of himself, grinned at the flashback of that morning. He rolled over, contemplating doing some of that studying Space Case was always going on about, when he remembered something Robin told him of. Derek went over to his roommates bottom drawer and pretty much hit a Casey gold-mine.

Across campus Casey got into the shower, completely wrapping herself in the silence. In less than a day the bathroom would be bustling and loud and there would be a forty five minute wait to take a fifteen minute lukewarm shower. The last three days had been a whirlwind. Going from just being Derek’s step sister to his sex buddy...no, she had more dignity than that. She refused to be another one of his conquests. 

“I will just have to talk to him about it later.” Casey decided as she turned the water off and wrapped herself in a fluffy pink robe. Back in her room, that had been mostly unused during the weekend, Casey checked her phone. She had missed a call from Nora and after dressing she called her back.

“Hello?”

“Hey, mom. What’s up?” 

“Oh, nothing much right now. We just miss you so much we decided to end our American vacation early. I know it’s a bit much to ask, but can you and Derek come home next weekend?” 

“Well, classes start back up on Monday...So I guess we could leave Friday once my last class ends and come back late sunday evening…” Casey mulled. 

“That’s great, Case! The house has been so quiet since you two have been gone. It’s spooky.” Nora laughed and a comfortable silence briefly fell. “So, have you killed your brother yet?”

“Mom, he’s not my brother.” Casey said hurriedly. 

“Oh, sorry. Sorry. Step-brother. Geez. You kids are always so picky about the proper term. Lizzie and Edwin are fine being brother and sister.” 

“Yeah, well. Derek and I aren’t Lizzie and Edwin.” Casey’s voice was sharper than she had intended. But hearing her mother call Derek her brother made the entire weekend feel...wronger and dirtier. 

“Okay, sweetheart. I’m sorry.” Nora’s apology was genuine. “Well, how has the week been? Gotten a lot of studying done?”

“You could say that.” Casey laughed quietly as she recalled Derek teaching her a few new things. 

“You need to take a break, honey. Have some fun!”

“Yeah, I know mom.” Casey sighed, hating the loosen up talk she somehow always got. 

“How is Robin? That boy you’ve been seeing.”

“Oh, well we split a while ago. I’m kind of...seeing someone else…”

“Wow, Casey! Way to play the field.” Nora sounded a little forced, unsure of how she felt about her eldest daughter dating strange men in college. “Anyone I know?”

“Well, maybe.” Casey hesitated. “I’m just not sure I want to talk much about him, us, until it’s more solidified.”

“That’s smart.”

“I’ve gotta go, mom. Laundry is done. I’ll tell Derek and we will see you Friday night.”

“Okay, we love you sweetheart. Bye.”

“Bye, mom. Love you too.” 

Casey hung up and rested her head on her desk. Suddenly, the torrid affair she had been having with her brother by marriage was all too real. Her family, their family was involved. All of their friends and even the school was involved. It wasn’t sexy and fun and exciting anymore. Casey felt real terror creep up on her. She couldn’t be another one of Derek’s conquests. Either they had to be a real...couple. Or nothing at all. She couldn’t face her mother or George or the shared set of siblings knowing she was just another girl on Derek’s list. 

She and Derek hadn’t had “the talk” yet and she really wasn’t looking forward to it. Casey’s mind was swirling like sugar in a cotton candy machine. To distract herself Casey cracked open a fresh package of notecards and started making new flashcards for her classes. As evening crept up on her, Casey realized she hadn’t heard from Derek since that morning. She looked at her phone, considering calling him, but decided against it. She just wasn’t ready for the upcoming storm. Just as she decided to go out and get something to eat, alone, a knock sounded at her door. 

“Who in the hell.” She opened the door and found Derek standing holding a picnic basket and a bottle of cheap store brand wine. He looked uncomfortable in his jeans and dress shirt. Dates came easy for him. Romance was akin to buck hunting with a nerf gun. 

“So, look. You wanna go on a date? Like, a real date. I’ve got sandwiches...and this wine...and chips.” His voice was hurried and Casey didn’t answer immediately which caused the campus stud to panic. “Look, Princess. I haven’t got all day. If you don’t wanna do the dumb picnic just say so.” 

“Let me get my jacket.” Casey said softly and grabbed a hoodie from her small closet. The two walked to a sunny part of the quad and Derek laid out a blanket on the grass. Early November had taken over the air and it really was quite chilly. Derek rifled through the picnic basket and handed a small, somewhat bent and petal missing, bouquet of white flowers to Casey. 

“They’re beautiful.” Casey swooned. 

“Thanks.” Derek muttered and opened a bag of chips, taking a giant handful before offering the bag to Casey….his date for the evening. It really was weird, seeing Casey holding flowers he had given her. She was just wearing jeans and a university sweatshirt but the way her brown hair fell in gentle waves and framed her face, bringing out those drop dead stunning blue eyes. It made him wonder how he ever found anyone else even attractive. Which in and of itself was a horrifying thought. The pair ate in semi comfortable silence before Casey dived in. 

“This is really nice. Thanks, Derek.”

“Sure, I thought you might like it. It’s kind of our first date. I guess.” He was lying on the blanket with his eyes closed. She was sitting crosslegged beside him. Sure, there were about two hundred people milling around campus who also hadn’t gone home, but it seemed like they were the last two people in existence. 

“Yeah, about that.” Casey hesitated. “Mom and George want us to come home next weekend. Have our own small family Thanksgiving.” 

“...And? We’ll just take the bus home. It’s only about a three hour trip.”

“Um…” she took a big breath, ready to drown their perfect world. “What is this?”

“A blanket? A picnic? An empty field? Come on, give me specifics, keener.” Derek teased lazily.

“I mean, us. This. What is...it.”

“Fuck.” Derek groaned and sat up. “We made it a whole three days before you brought it up. Honestly, Case. I’m impressed. You hardly lasted until lunch period when Sam told you he liked you before you started trying to define it. I got a whole seventy two hours.”

“Derek, I’m serious, here.” 

“Me too! Look, Casey. Just leave it alone.”

“I don’t want to!” Casey shouted. 

“What do you mean?”

“In six days we have to face our family and sleep in our separate adolescent rooms. I will not go back home knowing I was just another conquest.” Casey’s voice was rising to a shrill pitch.

“Look, babe. You’re not.” Derek’s voice was soft, a little frightened. Of Casey flying off the handle and throwing cheese at him or that he might just be falling in love with the cheese flinging girl, he was still unsure. 

“Then what, Derek. What am I to you?” her voice was wobbly but she pressed on. “I would like to think I’m not on the same level as Matilda or Sarah or anyone like that.”

“Casey, you’re not, so just shut up about them. I don’t know! I just don’t. You think this is easy for me? For five years I was pretty certain I hated you. Then I wake up one morning senior year pretty much in love with you but clearly that wasn’t an option a year ago. Then we get to college and like the Ice Queen you can be, you freeze me out for months! Then when you have no other options we fuck. A lot! What the hell, Casey? You’re no saint, either! So what am I to you, huh, Princess?”

“I have had your penis in my mouth too many times for you to give me this….this, bullshit!” Casey stood up, and stormed across the quad, leaving Derek and the crooked daisies on the blanket. 

“What the hell…” Derek mumbled and laid back down on the blanket. It wasn’t until Casey got back to her dorm his words registered with her.

“He loves me. Or at least loved.” Casey thought aloud before logging onto her computer to wrap up some of the afternoons studies. Anything to keep her mind off of a certain brunette man across campus who kept captivating her thoughts. She popped in her earbuds and turned up the mindless pop music to drown some brain activity. Derek went back to his room alone and immediately picked up the phone to call her. She didn’t answer so he tried twice more. Figuring that the stubborn McDonald woman needed time and space, he went to the computer to play more Skyrim, switching his phone off.

Around ten o’ clock Casey realized she had a few missed calls from Derek. She called him but it went right to voice mail. 

“He must be screening my calls...dammit.” Casey moped. She crawled into bed but didn’t sleep at all. Both feeling a bit dejected from the missed calls, they stopped trying to contact each other. The days blended together and once again the campus was flooded with rowdy students. Casey was rapidly swept back into dance practice and pop quizzes and work at the bookstore. Derek was yanked back to the reality of hockey and staying awake in class. The two didn’t speak until late Thursday night.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise, two in one night! To be honest, not even sure anyone reads this anymore so I could just be updating for myself. Haha To whoever does read this I hope you enjoy. :)

That Thursday night Casey was picking up a shift at the bookstore with Daisy. The two were lazily stocking product and Daisy was rambling about her thanksgiving holiday.

“Then I swear to god, my uncle tossed the yams on the carpet and came out of the closet.” 

“Wow, that’s...amazing.” Casey laughed. “How did his wife take it?”

“Better than our dog who got sweet potatoes and marshmallows dumped on her.” Daisy shrugged. “How was yours? You stayed here right?”

“Yeah, it was okay.” Casey didn’t look at her friend. Suddenly, the scuffs on the shelf were the most interesting thing in the known universe. 

“Casey, that’s your shame voice. What are you hiding?” Daisy taunted. “C’mon. Spill it!”

“I slept with someone.” she whispered, even though they were the only two in that part of the store.

“Oh my god! Who? Give me the dirt!”

“Derek…” Casey’s voice was only half a decibel above being totally silent. Daisy didn’t say anything for a full minute. 

“Sweet baby jesus. This is better than my gay uncle.” Daisy said. After much prompting Casey spilled the entire story. With even more prompting...she went into private details. “You have to go find him. Seriously, go find him. Apologize. Have a hard core make out sesion. And then have whatever twisted happy ending you two crazy kids can get.” 

“What is it like in your head?” Casey laughed at how simple her friend was.

“I get dizzy sometimes.” Daisy laughed and hugged her friend who had quiet tears rolling down her cheeks. 

Across campus in the room Robin shared with a Mr. Venturi, the boys were also bonding. In that they were eating pizza and playing Mario Kart. 

“So, thanks for the picnic stuff.” Derek said after three races and half a pizza.

“Did she like it?”

“Well, at first. Then she ran off sobbing.”

“What did you do to her? I told you to give her wine, not make her cry.” Robin said. Derek, with no prompting told Robin of their first night together. With more prompting he discussed the sappier moments. Not something he enjoyed, but Robin had sisters and thought maybe he could fix Derek’s shit before the only good thing in his life exploded like mentos in diet coke. 

“It’ll be okay, man.” Derek said after a few minutes. “Stop being a girl. I’ve got a banana peel with your sorry name on it.” Derek brushed his worried friend off, not admitting that he had no clue if everything would indeed be okay. He called George later that night, confirming plans for that weekend. He and Nora had emailed their bus tickets to Casey and said they were were excited to see the both of them again. Derek half heartedly laughed at the dumb stories they told about their home life and he made up some boring college crap he knew his father would want to here. Derek didn’t bring up Casey and George didn’t ask. The men hung up and being the smart father he was, George knew there was something up with his son. He just couldn’t put a finger on it yet.

Late that night, once the pants were already off and ready for bed, Derek’s phone lit up. A text from Casey.

Meet me in the quad. Please. -Princess

Short and sweet. Derek didn’t respond but put on his jeans and a sweatshirt and trudged over to the green space of land. At one in the morning it was totally devoid of humans. It was foggy and eerie looking. Cold and misty. He found Casey standing in the exact place where their picnic was. She was wearing a short black dress that accented her long legs and perfect breasts. A pale blue sweater was the only warm thing she had on. Her hair was expertly french braided and make up perfectly applied. She looked like a goddess.

“Hi,” She said when he had finally approached ear shot. 

“Hey.” 

“So, I don’t care.”

“About what?” he had his hands in his pockets, looking anywhere but at her.

“What we are.” Casey sighed. “I just know that you’re an idiot and I miss your stupid face when you’re not around. So, I don’t care if I’m your girlfriend, or your sister, or even just your ...friend. I just kind of want your dumbass back in my life.” 

“How well spoken. Like true poetry.” Derek mocked.

“It sounded better in my head.” Casey muttered, looking at her pink painted toes. 

“You’re not my sister.” Derek confirmed. “You’re not my booty call or friend with benefits. Trust me, I wouldn’t put up with your crap just for sex. Not worth it.”

“Okay, wow. thanks.” Casey grumbled.

“Hey, wait, Spazz. I want you in my life too. But not just as a useless girlfriend. Girlfriends don’t last for me. So, that’s why I don’t know what you are to me. Because you mean more to me than anyone ever has.”

“Even Marti?”

“Let’s not get crazy here, Princess.” Derek laughed. 

“I want people to...know.”

“About what?”

“Us…”

“Let’s start with our family…test the waters.” Derek closed the distance and wrapped her in a hug, thoroughly enjoying their height difference. He rested his head on hers. “Is Jade in your room?”

“No.” Casey said slowly. Derek lowered his lips to hers and kissed her until she lost air.

“Good.” Derek laced his fingers with her and dragged her back to her room while she laughed and pretended to object. 

The next morning, Derek woke up next to Casey in a horribly small bed. She had her back to him and her blue eyes were still shut with peaceful dreams. Her once perfect braid had been tugged and frayed. Now, loose waves wrapped around her serene face and down her shoulders. Derek lightly traced the space between her shoulder blades. She slightly stirred but didn’t wake up. He swung his legs over the bed and pulled on his boxers. Cradling his head in his hands, he too for the first time realized they would have to face their parents. 

“Shit…” he groaned as flashbacks from the night before came to his head. Apologies laced with kisses. She was an amazing kisser. Lips so soft and tongue so hot. Fingers tugging down pants and excited laughter. Never in a million years would he have guess her skin would be so freakin’ soft. The way she layed on the bed under him with her long limbs wrapped around him. He hated the way he loved being inside of her...not in his typical raunchy fuck way. But it felt nearly right...being one with her. As irritating and know it all and brown nosing and a worrying princess brat as she was...Derek knew he loved her because none of that really bothered him.

“Fuck.” He muttered and got dressed. He went down to the cafeteria and found Sam with his face nearly in a bowl of cheerios. 

“Hey, man.” Sam greeted as Derek sat down across from him. “Haven’t see you in a minute. What’s new?”

“I’m fucking my sister.” Derek muttered as he scrubbed his face awake. He snatched the   
orange juice from beside his friend’s breakfast and guzzled it down. 

“Huh?” Sam looked up and realized that his old friend looked like hammered shit. “Woah, man. Casey?”

“Well, the only other two options are Lizzie and Marti. So yes, you moron. Casey.” Derek snapped. 

“How’s that working out for you?”

“I feel like I belong on one of those daytime talk shows with the fake therapist and the booing crowd. I mean, it’s not just sex. Which is the worst part. I actually have...like, human emotions for her. And this is awesome. If we didn’t share parents. And if we didn’t have to go back to them tonight. Because Casey is amazing...I mean...she’s Casey. But Nora and dad...as okay as they think they are with this...are pretty sure it’s all hypothetical.” 

“George and Nora are cool with you two bumping uglies?” Sam slurped his cereal.

“Not in such disgusting terms...but more or less...I don’t know. Ah, fuck. I couldn’t be happy with some dance slut.”

“Dude, you never were. Not even in high school. It’s always been Casey.” 

“Shut up.” Derek said with not much malice. 

“You drank my juice.” Sam deadpanned.

“Fight me.” Derek chuckled and left the table. 

Twenty minutes later he let himself into Casey’s room, having left it unlocked. She wasn’t there but a note left on her computer said she was in the shower, if he came back. If. She clearly still wasn’t convinced that she wasn’t just another booty call. Derek reclined on her bed and buried himself in her scent. Floral laundry soap and her gentle perfume. 

“Oh, hey.” Casey’s voice woke him up sometime later. She was in a fluffy pink robe and her wet hair hung all around her. “You’re back.”

“Well, yeah. I brought breakfast.” He motioned to the banana and bagel on her desk.

“Thanks.” She said genuinely. “Um, I have to get dressed. Look away or something.”

“Dude, I’ve seen you naked so much.” he laughed.

“This is different!” she defended.

“Not really, Princess.”

“Derek, just look at the wall for a minute.” 

“Fine.” he huffed, though fully amused at her bashfulness. “So, when are we leaving for the bus station?”

“Around five.” she slipped on a purple sweater dress and some black tights. “Okay, you can look. Are you packed?”

“No. Are you?”

“Since I got the phone call. Don’t you have a class to get to?” 

“Who cares?” Derek laughed but Casey just rolled her eyes, not amused at the man’s academic apathy.

“Well, I have a class to attend...so, meet me here at four. We will get a cab to the bus station and be home by eight.” she paused and picked up her backpack. “Are we...telling them?”

“I don’t know.” His voice was devoid of tone.

“Okay.” she said firmly. “I’ll see you tonight, Derek.” Casey smiled at him and left the room. His insides felt warm as he fell back asleep on her bed. 

7:45pm 

Casey had been asleep on his shoulder for nearly an hour now. Her textbook was on her lap and her legs were curled up under her. She had traded the cute sweater dress for his Queens hoodie. A hoodie and jeans had never looked so good, he thought. Derek mainly had been looking out the window at the boring scenery. Highways, small roads, fields, cities. They all passed by with no meaning to him, but he couldn’t help thinking that each of these places were someone’s hometown. Where they grew up or will grow old. Where they had their first kiss, wedding, first child. These places meant nothing to him, but to someone, these little map dots were the whole world. 

“Hey, Casey.” Derek shrugged her awake. “We’re almost home.”

“Huh? Oh, okay.” she wiped the drool from her mouth and looked around the dark bus. Only nine other people were on the bus to the hometown they shared with the apparent teenage lovers. To anyone else, they looked like an average young couple. Casey momentarily enjoyed this thought before the gravity sunk in. “What are we doing?”

“I have an idea.” Derek said cryptically without looking at her. He took her hand and absently kissed the back of it. Twenty minutes later the bus pulled in and Derek and Casey grabbed their duffels. Their entire family was waiting inside the building. Both Derek and Casey’s hearts were racing, though neither said a word. As they stumbled off the bus, Derek didn’t let go of Casey’s hand. He laced their fingers and held it tighter. Casey didn’t know his angle but trusted him enough not to question. The entered the bus depot building and the family first focused on the young adults individually then saw that they were jointed at the hands.

“I like to make an entrance.” Derek said only loud enough for Casey to hear. 

“Why are Derek and Casey holding hands?” Marti asked loud enough for the entire depot to hear.


	13. Chapter 13

“Welcome home, kids!” Nora exclaimed before any explaining could be done. She wrapped her arms around her daughter's neck, successfully breaking the grasp Casey had on Derek. George did a similar act and clapped his teenaged son in the back with unneeded force. The young lovers split hands and their shared parents cast a discrete worried glance to one another.   
"Who's hungry!" George shouted, though the raised volume truly wasn't necessary as no one was talking or even moving. "Let's go get a late family dinner! Lizzie, Edwin, take their bags and Marti and get settled in the van. We will meet you in a few minutes." George was far too cheerful and Nora's smile was twisted and tight, quite scary. 

"They are in so much trouble." Edwin mumbled to Lizzie as they dragged the bags and Marti to the parking lot. 

"I know right. I've never seen mom so tense. Not since she gave me the safe sex talk." Lizzie said quietly. Marti was skipping up ahead. "Do you think they're doing it?" 

"Ew." Edwin groaned. "And yes. Derek only looks that relaxed after relations with a girl." 

"And I've never actually seen Casey look that so....serene." Lizzie paused and looked at her brother. In unison they cringed. 

"Ew." They agreed simultaneously. 

Back inside the bus depot George had his hand over his mouth and Nora was pinching the bridge of her nose. 

"How long?" George demanded with an exhausted tone. 

"How long...what?" Derek asked.

"This. You. Two. How long has....this been going on?" 

"About three weeks." Casey muttered, looking at her shoes and grasping the cuffs of Derek's uni sweatshirt. She felt like a scolded child in the principal's office. 

"Have you two....participated in....acts of adult digression?" Nora was looking anywhere but her children. Right now, a spot on the water stained ceiling held her attention like a challenging sudoku. 

"Nora, gross." Derek groaned. Casey elbowed him. They were in enough trouble, his attitude wouldn't help them now. 

"Derek, answer your stepmother. We need to know...for lack of a better term...how deep we are in." George snapped. 

"Yes." Casey said quickly before Derek could object or make or worse. "We have." 

"Oh, my." Nora groaned. 

"I thought you two were cool with this. You said it was okay!" Derek exclaimed. 

"In theory, Derek Michael! We didn't actually think it was going to happen. We assumed you would go to college and make a friendship. See other people. Not see each other!" George yelled. The clerk at the desk had perked up from his newspaper and was watching the family drama play out. 

"What your father means is...we want you kids to be happy. Naturally, we just didn't actually believe it would happen with each other. So, although this isn't fully unwelcomed.....it is amazingly unexpected." Nora paused and took her timid daughter’s hand. "Please, tell me you're at least using protection." 

"Mom, please!" Casey turned a violent shade of pink and Derek chuckled, only to receive a smack to the back of the head from George. 

"It's not funny, young man! You can barely feed and clothe yourself. Let alone another tiny human." George released a painful sigh. "Let's just go try and have a normal dinner. We will talk about this more tomorrow." 

Twenty minutes later all seven McDonald-Venturi's were sitting around a table at family chain restaurant with a lot of loud tacky decorations. Their server had just taken their drink order and the young woman could nearly taste the tension at the table. Derek was sitting between George and Edwin. Casey was squeezed between Marti and Lizzie. George and Nora were sitting side by side, tightly holding hands. Were they religious, it would have looked like they were saying a quiet prayer. 

"Mom, can I have mozzarella sticks?" Marti asked. Derek and Casey looked at the eight year old girl. 

"Sure, honey. But please get apple slices too. Balance it out." Nora said easily. 

"When did that happen? Her calling you...mom." Derek asked. 

"Uh, a few months ago. It just started. Hardly noticed." Nora answered simply, not looking up from her menu. 

"Oh, I guess we've been gone for awhile." Casey looked at Derek across the table. She wondered if he was thinking anything similar to her. They shared a mom...with a third grader. Edwin called her Nora. Lizzie called him George. It made it easier to draw the line that clearly read STEP-siblings. Now with Marti calling them mom and dad...the line was so blurry its ink was smudging into oblivion. 

"Alright, who is ready to order?" The falsely cheerful server broke the tense silence. 

"I'm not very hungry." Casey muttered.

"Me neither." Derek added. 

Later that night Derek and Casey were in their separate childhood rooms. Derek looked around, feeling a strange air of comfort surround him. His walls were dark and covered with posters, album covers, and sharpie signatures of his friends. His desk was less cluttered but still had a mess of pens and papers and a book or two on it. There was no pile of laundry on the floor and the bed was made, other than that it was like he never left home. Derek dropped his duffle on the floor and fell face first into his bed. It felt so nice to be out of that brick wall cell he shared with Robin. Whom he should really text, giving an update on the outing to the family. Derek rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling where a wilting poster of a bikini clad beach model was stuck. He smiled and recalled the giant feminist fit Casey pitched when she saw him stick it up there. Marti was already tucked into bed. George and Nora were heatedly discussing circumstances in their bedroom. Lizzie and Edwin were in the basement/rec room playing ping pong. 

"This is so weird." Lizzie said as she served the tiny ball to Edwin. "I can't believe Derek and Casey are doing the did." 

"I know right. I thought dad was going to bust a gasket when Derek offered Casey the last of his milkshake.” Edwin paused and spiked the plastic orb in his sister’s court. 

Edwin and Lizzie were now older than Derek and Casey were when they met. Lizzie kept her hair short but it had gained the same kind of wave that Casey’s had. She was no longer the awkward tomboy in oversized jerseys and track pants, though she still blatantly objected to frills and sparkles. She had really grown into herself once she and Edwin hit high school. Edwin too had outgrown his geeky self….at least outwardly. He no longer had Derek’s hand-me-downs, or mile long reputation following him, and his warm brown eyes were now framed by designer black glasses, which made many of the girls in the tenth grade swoon. Puberty had hit the Venturi-McDonald household for the second time, but luckily Edwin and Lizzie had not changed their relationship. When the pair went out together they were frequently mistaken for fraternal twins. As they grew up their dynamic had more or less stayed the same. Especially since Edwin and Lizzie had the same taste in girls. 

“I figured mom and George wouldn’t freak out so hardcore.”

“Maybe they’re just afraid of the two splitting up and ruining the entire family. I mean think about it. Derek is vengeful and Casey is bitter. If those two dumped each other, Christmas would be the worst holiday ever.” Edwin said pointedly. 

“I don’t think they will split up. I mean think about everything we’ve already been through. And they already know everything about each other and they really get each other. Plus, I saw the way Derek and Casey looked at each other. As gross as it was...I think we are all in this for the long haul.” the bounced the ball to Edwin and it rolled off the table. “My point.”

“Dammit.” he grumbled. 

Upstairs, Casey was lying on her bed. The purple comforter smelled like home. The stuffed animal Emily gave her was tucked under her arm and the Broadway posters were still perfectly hung on her pinkish walls. Memorabilia from high school was all around. Trophies, theatre props, tests with bright A’s circled on them, college acceptance letters, and dozens of pictures with friends and family. The only thing missing was the obnoxious music pounding from Derek’s room. Just loud enough to thump her walls and piss her off. She would burst into his room to complain and he would be doing shirtless push ups. She would get flustered, yell gibberish, and flee back to room. Her face blushed at the memory. There was a soft knock at her door, figuring it was mom she just shouted. 

“Come in.” she offered. The door pushed open and Derek was standing in the doorway.

“Hey, princess.” his voice was soft. 

“Hi, what’s up?” she did her best to keep her voice casual. She sat up on her bed and noticed how tired he seemed. 

“One a scale from one to Steve Bushemi how weird is today?”

“Really weird. Mom and George have really lost it.” Casey muttered. Derek came in and sat down in her desk chair.

“How are you….doing?” He was hesitant. Being not only male but also a Venturi he didn’t enjoy the Where Are We talk or anything about emotions.

“I’m tired. And nervous. They’ve been in their room pacing and talking for hours. This can’t be good.” Casey clutched the small pink bear to her chest.

“Nah. Dad only yelled a little bit. We’ll be fine. If he’s really mad at me he shouts for a lot longer.” he paused and ran a hand through his hair. “How..uh, committed are you to...this?”

“This? Um, I would say fairly so.”

“Alright. Just needed to know.” he got up and placed a very light kiss on her head. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Night, Space Case. Don’t stay up all night spazzing out over this. Take a xanax or something. Don’t need you all fussy and tired tomorrow.” 

“Shut up, De-rek. I do not get fussy! Get out of my room and go to sleep.” she laughed. He left the room but both knew the other wouldn’t sleep. This was just the calm before the storm.


	14. Chapter 14

“Welcome home, kids!” Nora exclaimed before any explaining could be done. She wrapped her arms around her daughter's neck, successfully breaking the grasp Casey had on Derek. George did a similar act and clapped his teenaged son in the back with unneeded force. The young lovers split hands and their shared parents cast a discrete worried glance to one another.   
"Who's hungry!" George shouted, though the raised volume truly wasn't necessary as no one was talking or even moving. "Let's go get a late family dinner! Lizzie, Edwin, take their bags and Marti and get settled in the van. We will meet you in a few minutes." George was far too cheerful and Nora's smile was twisted and tight, quite scary. 

"They are in so much trouble." Edwin mumbled to Lizzie as they dragged the bags and Marti to the parking lot. 

"I know right. I've never seen mom so tense. Not since she gave me the safe sex talk." Lizzie said quietly. Marti was skipping up ahead. "Do you think they're doing it?" 

"Ew." Edwin groaned. "And yes. Derek only looks that relaxed after relations with a girl." 

"And I've never actually seen Casey look that so....serene." Lizzie paused and looked at her brother. In unison they cringed. 

"Ew." They agreed simultaneously. 

Back inside the bus depot George had his hand over his mouth and Nora was pinching the bridge of her nose. 

"How long?" George demanded with an exhausted tone. 

"How long...what?" Derek asked.

"This. You. Two. How long has....this been going on?" 

"About three weeks." Casey muttered, looking at her shoes and grasping the cuffs of Derek's uni sweatshirt. She felt like a scolded child in the principal's office. 

"Have you two....participated in....acts of adult digression?" Nora was looking anywhere but her children. Right now, a spot on the water stained ceiling held her attention like a challenging sudoku. 

"Nora, gross." Derek groaned. Casey elbowed him. They were in enough trouble, his attitude wouldn't help them now. 

"Derek, answer your stepmother. We need to know...for lack of a better term...how deep we are in." George snapped. 

"Yes." Casey said quickly before Derek could object or make or worse. "We have." 

"Oh, my." Nora groaned. 

"I thought you two were cool with this. You said it was okay!" Derek exclaimed. 

"In theory, Derek Michael! We didn't actually think it was going to happen. We assumed you would go to college and make a friendship. See other people. Not see each other!" George yelled. The clerk at the desk had perked up from his newspaper and was watching the family drama play out. 

"What your father means is...we want you kids to be happy. Naturally, we just didn't actually believe it would happen with each other. So, although this isn't fully unwelcomed.....it is amazingly unexpected." Nora paused and took her timid daughter’s hand. "Please, tell me you're at least using protection." 

"Mom, please!" Casey turned a violent shade of pink and Derek chuckled, only to receive a smack to the back of the head from George. 

"It's not funny, young man! You can barely feed and clothe yourself. Let alone another tiny human." George released a painful sigh. "Let's just go try and have a normal dinner. We will talk about this more tomorrow." 

Twenty minutes later all seven McDonald-Venturi's were sitting around a table at family chain restaurant with a lot of loud tacky decorations. Their server had just taken their drink order and the young woman could nearly taste the tension at the table. Derek was sitting between George and Edwin. Casey was squeezed between Marti and Lizzie. George and Nora were sitting side by side, tightly holding hands. Were they religious, it would have looked like they were saying a quiet prayer. 

"Mom, can I have mozzarella sticks?" Marti asked. Derek and Casey looked at the eight year old girl. 

"Sure, honey. But please get apple slices too. Balance it out." Nora said easily. 

"When did that happen? Her calling you...mom." Derek asked. 

"Uh, a few months ago. It just started. Hardly noticed." Nora answered simply, not looking up from her menu. 

"Oh, I guess we've been gone for awhile." Casey looked at Derek across the table. She wondered if he was thinking anything similar to her. They shared a mom...with a third grader. Edwin called her Nora. Lizzie called him George. It made it easier to draw the line that clearly read STEP-siblings. Now with Marti calling them mom and dad...the line was so blurry its ink was smudging into oblivion. 

"Alright, who is ready to order?" The falsely cheerful server broke the tense silence. 

"I'm not very hungry." Casey muttered.

"Me neither." Derek added. 

Later that night Derek and Casey were in their separate childhood rooms. Derek looked around, feeling a strange air of comfort surround him. His walls were dark and covered with posters, album covers, and sharpie signatures of his friends. His desk was less cluttered but still had a mess of pens and papers and a book or two on it. There was no pile of laundry on the floor and the bed was made, other than that it was like he never left home. Derek dropped his duffle on the floor and fell face first into his bed. It felt so nice to be out of that brick wall cell he shared with Robin. Whom he should really text, giving an update on the outing to the family. Derek rolled onto his back and looked up at the ceiling where a wilting poster of a bikini clad beach model was stuck. He smiled and recalled the giant feminist fit Casey pitched when she saw him stick it up there. Marti was already tucked into bed. George and Nora were heatedly discussing circumstances in their bedroom. Lizzie and Edwin were in the basement/rec room playing ping pong. 

"This is so weird." Lizzie said as she served the tiny ball to Edwin. "I can't believe Derek and Casey are doing the did." 

"I know right. I thought dad was going to bust a gasket when Derek offered Casey the last of his milkshake.” Edwin paused and spiked the plastic orb in his sister’s court. 

Edwin and Lizzie were now older than Derek and Casey were when they met. Lizzie kept her hair short but it had gained the same kind of wave that Casey’s had. She was no longer the awkward tomboy in oversized jerseys and track pants, though she still blatantly objected to frills and sparkles. She had really grown into herself once she and Edwin hit high school. Edwin too had outgrown his geeky self….at least outwardly. He no longer had Derek’s hand-me-downs, or mile long reputation following him, and his warm brown eyes were now framed by designer black glasses, which made many of the girls in the tenth grade swoon. Puberty had hit the Venturi-McDonald household for the second time, but luckily Edwin and Lizzie had not changed their relationship. When the pair went out together they were frequently mistaken for fraternal twins. As they grew up their dynamic had more or less stayed the same. Especially since Edwin and Lizzie had the same taste in girls. 

“I figured mom and George wouldn’t freak out so hardcore.”

“Maybe they’re just afraid of the two splitting up and ruining the entire family. I mean think about it. Derek is vengeful and Casey is bitter. If those two dumped each other, Christmas would be the worst holiday ever.” Edwin said pointedly. 

“I don’t think they will split up. I mean think about everything we’ve already been through. And they already know everything about each other and they really get each other. Plus, I saw the way Derek and Casey looked at each other. As gross as it was...I think we are all in this for the long haul.” the bounced the ball to Edwin and it rolled off the table. “My point.”

“Dammit.” he grumbled. 

Upstairs, Casey was lying on her bed. The purple comforter smelled like home. The stuffed animal Emily gave her was tucked under her arm and the Broadway posters were still perfectly hung on her pinkish walls. Memorabilia from high school was all around. Trophies, theatre props, tests with bright A’s circled on them, college acceptance letters, and dozens of pictures with friends and family. The only thing missing was the obnoxious music pounding from Derek’s room. Just loud enough to thump her walls and piss her off. She would burst into his room to complain and he would be doing shirtless push ups. She would get flustered, yell gibberish, and flee back to room. Her face blushed at the memory. There was a soft knock at her door, figuring it was mom she just shouted. 

“Come in.” she offered. The door pushed open and Derek was standing in the doorway.

“Hey, princess.” his voice was soft. 

“Hi, what’s up?” she did her best to keep her voice casual. She sat up on her bed and noticed how tired he seemed. 

“One a scale from one to Steve Bushemi how weird is today?”

“Really weird. Mom and George have really lost it.” Casey muttered. Derek came in and sat down in her desk chair.

“How are you….doing?” He was hesitant. Being not only male but also a Venturi he didn’t enjoy the Where Are We talk or anything about emotions.

“I’m tired. And nervous. They’ve been in their room pacing and talking for hours. This can’t be good.” Casey clutched the small pink bear to her chest.

“Nah. Dad only yelled a little bit. We’ll be fine. If he’s really mad at me he shouts for a lot longer.” he paused and ran a hand through his hair. “How..uh, committed are you to...this?”

“This? Um, I would say fairly so.”

“Alright. Just needed to know.” he got up and placed a very light kiss on her head. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Night, Space Case. Don’t stay up all night spazzing out over this. Take a xanax or something. Don’t need you all fussy and tired tomorrow.” 

“Shut up, De-rek. I do not get fussy! Get out of my room and go to sleep.” she laughed. He left the room but both knew the other wouldn’t sleep. This was just the calm before the storm.


	15. Chapter 15

The next morning Casey woke up at her normal class time. Seven fifteen. She woke up from her phone alarm chiming, having forgotten to turn it off. Her eyes fluttered open and looked around the room. It took her a full minute to realize she didn’t need to rush off to English 112. She rolled over, looked around her room, and took in the sound of her home. Marti was probably downstairs prodding Mom about leaving for the park or library because she was sooo booored. Lizzie had to leave early for the dojo, she had a tournament coming up. Edwin was running around with friends. George was probably at the gym, enjoying a morning to himself. Derek was probably still drooling in his bed. 

Casey threw her legs off the bed and grabbed her robe from the open suitcase. Before leaving the room she took a heavy breath.

“Now’s as good a time as any.” she sighed. Leaving the room she looked at Derek’s door. Police tape stretched all across the door, DO NOT ENTER was scribbled on a handwritten sign. Casey peaked in, and sure enough Derek was lying face down on his bed. Head covered with a pillow, blanket tangled around his legs, snoring softly. Casey smiled and went downstairs. Her mom was on the couch reading the newspaper, Marti was on George’s laptop playing Nora Approved Learning Games. 

“Hi, Casey.” Marti greeted cheerfully. 

“Hi, Marti. How did you sleep?”

“Okay, I guess.” Marti shrugged. “Will you make me waffles?” 

“Sure, thing.” Casey agreed and went into the kitchen to make coffee and frozen waffles. She tried to ignore the fact that her mother didn’t look up at her during the whole exchange. Casey prepped the coffee maker and dug in the freezer for the box of waffles. She didn’t hear her mother trail in behind her and sit at the breakfast table. When Casey closed the freezer door and saw Nora sitting at the table she yelped in surprise.

“God, mom. You scared the life out of me. I didn’t hear you.” Casey gasped. Nora chuckled and sighed.

“Sorry, sweetie. Didn’t mean to.” Nora apologized. Casey dropped the waffles in the toaster and poured herself a cup of coffee. “Come sit, Casey. I wanna talk to you. Girl to girl.”

“Uh, okay.” Casey muttered. They hadn’t spoken “girl-to-girl” since Casey was fifteen and got the safe sex talk. “Marti come get your waffles.” she called into the living room. Marti padded into the kitchen, grabbed her waffles, and nearly sat down at the table.

“Marti, honey. Go eat in the living room. I want to talk to Casey.”

“But, you never let me eat in the living room.” Marti’s eyes widened with surprise. 

“Today is a special day. Go eat your breakfast and watch tv.” Nora responded, giving her youngest daughter a smile. 

“Thanks, mom!” Marti said and rushed into the living room.

God, she wished Lizzie and Casey were that little again. Made happy by something as simple as eating breakfast on the couch. Nowadays, Lizzie was struggling with SAT-Prep and earning her second degree black belt. All while trying to get the girl with the blonde hair who worked at the grocery store and sat in front of her during Physics to notice her. And Casey was taking a massive class load, excelling at her part time job, and falling in love with her step-brother...no, Derek. Just Derek. Another boy off the street. Not the one she helped raise, get into college, screamed for at all of his hockey games, grounded hundreds of times, and watched turn into a fine young man. Nora’s heart ached. Her kids grew up without her realizing it. 

“What’s up, mom?” Casey asked timidly as she sat down across from her mother.

“Casey, you know I love you right?” Nora’s voice was small.

“Yeah. Yes, of course.” Casey forced a smile.

“Good. I just want you to be happy. Always. No matter what.” Nora sighed and reached out to touch her daughter’s hand. “Does he make you happy?”

“Yes.” Casey whispered and her face turned an awful shade of fuschia. “He really does.”

“Good. I’m glad.” the older woman sighed and took a long drink of her coffee. "I just remembered the way he used to treat his girlfriends. I always hoped you would never date a Derek." 

"As shocking as it is...he's not like that anymore. I mean...he treats me really well. And he even studies now! I think we've got his grades up two points." 

"Casey Jane. You always were my miracle worker." Nora laughed. "So, how long has it been? Anniversary wise." 

"Geez, mom...I don't know...it's not like it's circled it on my calendar." Casey blushed again.

"C'mon Case. You know." Nora teased.

"October 18th." Casey muttered into her coffee cup. 

"Wow. Nearly two months." 

"Yeah, wow." Casey was trying to keep her face from doing that involuntary smile thing it did when she talked about her relationship. The two women sipped their coffee and sat in comfortable silence, the sound of Marti's tv show drifting into the kitchen. Only a few minutes later a sleep dazed Derek clad only in ratty pajama bottoms, that Casey had worn on multiple occasions, stumbled into the kitchen. 

He didn't look at either of the women who were just talking about him. He was rubbing his eyes and pouting coffee, still pretty much asleep. He was however grumbling about, my damn sleep schedule being thrown off for a stupid geometry class no one should be awake at eight am. 

"Still a grumpy bear in the morning I see." Nora laughed.

"I can only do so much." Casey laughed too and Derek finally noticed the two women at the table. He looked up from his coffee mug and smiled at Casey. His sleepy innocent morning smile that was just for Casey. Pretty much saying "I know you're here. I'm glad you're here. Don't even think about talking to me until I finish this mug."

Casey had seen that smile countless time in the past month and half. But it was all new to Nora. Usually Derek was a morning viking. Stomping and thrashing around the house making everyone miserable. Was this him maturing or was this Casey? Either way, those two smiling at each other just seemed too private. Nora got up and kissed her daughter's head. 

"Morning, Derek. I'm going upstairs to my office to finish up some paperwork. Keep an eye on Marti please." Nora said and got a grumbled response. 

Upstairs in her office she shared with George Nora sunk into her desk chair. On wall behind her desk was the first, and final, family portrait the McDonald-Venturi's ever took. Marti was crying and red-nosed because she was actually very sick but Nora couldn't cancel their appointment. Lizzie and Edwin both had mud on their nice blue sweaters from rough housing in the parking lot and consequently falling in a puddle. George was looking really quite tired and unshaven. Nora's smile was borderline creepy and her thick makeup made her look too happy. She was just as exhausted as her husband. The pair had been up all night taking care of the tiny sick Marti. Derek was on one side of the picture with a sly smile. Casey was on the other side with a red face and tears in her eyes. Derek had said something cruel and equally as crude to his step sister just to get a rise out of her. That family picture was nearly four years old and had never been attempted again. 

Nora pulled out her cellphone from her robe pocket and speed dialed her husband's number. 

"Hey, honey. Did I leave my wallet at home? I wanna get a smoothie at the juice bar and I can’t find it in my locker." George answered the phone after several rings. 

"I haven't seen it." 

"Hmm. Alright. Are the mongrels up?” 

“Yeah. Liz and Ed went to a friends house. Marti is watching tv. The other two….are eating breakfast.” her voice dropped in case anybody was using the bathroom across the hall. 

“Have you...talked to her?” George’s voice was so even and devoid of emotion it was nearly scary. 

“Yes.” Nora waited a minute. “And I give my blessing.” 

After two full minutes George responded. “Okay, then. We’ll talk when I get home.” 

“I love you.” 

“Love you, too.” He sighed and the two disconnected. 

That night Nora and George gave Lizzie and Edwin fifty dollars to take Marti out to dinner at Chuck E. Cheese. They were bribed with the leftover change to leave the house for the evening while Nora, George, and the intensely nervous couple hashed things out properly. 

As six fifteen rolled around no one had spoken for twelve minutes. The four of them just sat in the living room looking anywhere but at each other. Even Derek was keeping his trap glued shut and stared at his bare feet. With purple toenails, courtesy of his Smarti earlier that afternoon. 

“So,” George sighed finally at six nineteen. “Your...Nora and I have decided to...let this happen. No questions. No ultimatums. Just a few...stipulations.” 

“Okay.” Derek said slowly. “This isn’t like a...triple chore duty kind of stipulation. Because Edwin is almost sixteen and I am not doing his laundry. I remember that disgusting underwear.”

“Der-ek. Not necessary.” Casey snapped.

“No. Not chores.” Nora supplied. “More like house rules. For one, you won’t be sharing a room while here. You have separate rooms for a reason. It’s always been that way and that’s not going to change.” 

“Also, let’s limit the PDA. Marti is a little young for the birds and the bees and this is still a family establishment.” George added. “So, no lap sitting on the couch. No making out in the kitchen. If you need to go into each others room, the lights will be on and the door will be open. Just like if you had any other partner in the house.” 

“And just...please…” Nora looked at the ceiling and bit off her words sharply. “Don’t have sex in this house. Ever.” 

“Agreed.” George said quietly. “That’s all we really have. So, if you would like to go out to a movie or something...that would be recommended as I would really like to be child free for an hour.”

“I need some wine.” Nora muttered. The two left the living room and escaped to the kitchen. 

“Wow.” Casey sighed.

“Yeah. Wow.” he paused then looked at Casey. “Wanna go catch a movie? I’d rather not watch George and Nora get shitfaced because they're ashamed of our life’s decisions.” 

“Sounds good to me.” Casey groaned and went upstairs to grab her coat. 

“It’s gotta be worth it.” Derek sighed. “It’s gotta be.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Present Day**   
****

 

The months trickled by and the snow trickled away. Mia had completed her five month well baby check up with flying colors. On a damp April afternoon with her mom and dad curled up on the couch Mia's squawk sounded as she was woken by a knock on the door. 

 

"I'll get it." Casey offered. She gently handed her daughter to her husband and went to the door. She opened it to find Vanessa holding the hand of her son and a bottle of wine. 

 

"Uh, hi. Casey. Am I too early?" Vanessa's voice as very small. Casey took in the appearance of the woman. A hoodie, sneakers, and a pair of jeans Casey immediately wanted. 

 

"Um, for what?" 

 

"Well, Derek invited me over for dinner. And I brought Jackson...which I hope was okay...but seeing your face right now...we should probably go."

 

"No, no. My loving husband probably just forgot to tell me the correct time." Casey said tersely. "Come in. Hi, Jackson. Nice to meet you." 

 

"Hi, Mrs. Venturi." Jackson said, happily unaware of the tension between the woman. He skipped away from his mother and to Derek, who had come up behind Casey. 

 

"Oh, sweetie. Forgot to tell you. Jackson and Vanessa are coming over for dinner." Derek kissed Casey's cheek and smiled warmly at Vanessa. 

 

"Oh, no! Jackson Andrew! Get down!" Vanessa scurried over to her young son who was trying to reach a ball on top of the entertainment center. 

 

"What the hell, Venturi?" Casey hissed. 

 

"I am tired of you bashing on Vanessa. She is a wonderful person and you need to act like a grown up. Stop being catty. You ladies have a lot in common. So get over yourself and go play nice." He kissed her on her frowning mouth. "I love you. Mia needs a change."  He disappeared to the nursery. 

 

"Wine?" Casey asked Vanessa who had settled Jackson on the couch with a storybook from her purse. 

 

"Wine." Vanessa sighed in agreement. 

  
  


**_Three Weeks Earlier_ **

Vanessa and Derek’s coffee “dates” had become a Tuesday thing, while Casey was teaching tap. Casey knew, but was less than thrilled, as she expressed to him one night at the store in the bread aisle. 

 

“Look, Derek,” she sighed as she grabbed a loaf of whole wheat. “I don’t get why you have to keep going out with your old high school flame.”

 

“I’m not going out with her. She was never my  _ flame.  _ And actually I think you girls would really get along if you just talked.” Derek held his ground and tossed a box of cupcakes in the cart. 

 

“I have nothing in common with her and I really don’t think she and I could ever...talk.” Casey snapped and put his cupcakes back on a random shelf. 

 

“Case...c’mon. You’re acting like a little jealous high school girl.” Derek sighed, exhausted by his wife’s unwillingness to share his attention. Suddenly his pocket chimed, he pulled it out and saw Vanessa’s name….and a sneaky yet brilliant plan sprung to his head. Carefully executed, he might only have to sleep on the couch for a week or so. 

 

“Who’s that?” Casey demanded. 

 

“Nora, asking me to call her. Something about Mia’s food. I’m gonna go call her.” Derek said smoothly, with a very large stab of guilt to his gut. Derek left his wife looking at cereals to call Vanessa. 

 

“Hey, man. What’s up?” Vanessa answered the phone but sounded distracted. 

 

“Do you want to have dinner with us? Like...in a few weeks?” Derek said quickly.

 

“Wait. You actually got Casey to want to meet me? Seriously? Like, she’s on board?” Vanessa’s voice was rapid and nervous. 

 

“Well, um, yeah.” Derek hesitated. Lying to two women in one night was worse than breaking a mirror under a ladder in front of a black cat. 

 

“I work all nights for awhile...let me look at my fridge.” 

 

“Your fridge decides your scheduling issues?”

 

“My calendar taped to my fridge, you moron.” She laughed. “The sixth. I’m free the sixth.”

 

“Great. Five pm. Let’s do the sixth at five. Bring Jackson.”

“I’m so excited, Derek. The girls at the shop aren’t...my crowd...they want to go out to the male strip clubs and dance bars. I, however, am three episodes behind on Grey’s Anatomy but am one hundred percent caught up on Thomas the Tank Engine.” 

 

“Yeah, sure. Tell Casey that dumb stuff.” Derek laughed. “I’ll see you then.” 

 

“Awesome! Thanks, so much D.”

 

“Yeah, whatever. Don’t mention it.” Derek clicked off and found Casey several aisles over holding a box of cupcakes. 

 

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know I’m being irrational. You’re a good man. Have a cupcake.” Casey kissed him on the nose and that pang of guilt stabbed him again.  _ This all has to work out.  _ “How is Mia?”

 

“Just fine.” Derek mumbled. “It all worked out.”

 

**_Present Day_ **

 

Casey and Vanessa sat on opposite ends of the couch sipping their wine in very  _ very  _ thick and uncomfortable silence. Vanessa looked around the tiny apartment and her heart hurt, this was all she wanted with Jackie’s dad. This was it. A home that smelled like lilacs, a tidy kitchen with kids magnets on the dishwasher, a basket of laundry with footie pajamas and boxers and socks tucked in the hallway, and family pictures both posed and candid hanging on the walls under cliche wall stickers that read  _ Live Laugh Love _ . Casey had everything Vanessa ever wanted. 

 

“You have a beautiful home, Casey.” Vanessa said quietly. 

 

“Thanks. It was a hole when we moved in. A woman’s touch and some wall decals make a world of difference.” Casey said easily, the wine was already hitting her head. Fourteen months without drinking had made her a lightweight, not that she could ever hold steady with her drink really.

 

“I totally get that.” Vanessa said. Then another obese silence fell. Derek came into the room loudly. Mia was wearing her tiny jeans and jacket and Derek had put on shoes. 

 

“Good god, Casey. I just realized we don’t have any ice cream! How could you let this happen?” 

 

“Ice cream?” Jackson asked from his position in the comfy chair. He was watching a cartoon and flipping through a book. “Mama, I want ice cream.”

 

“Vanessa, can I take him? Casey, I have to go get ice cream. Like, right now. Mia won’t stop crying. She needs cookie dough brownie ice cream.” 

 

“She seems fine to me.” Casey said with the very tiny hint of a smile. 

 

“Oh, well you didn’t hear her a minute ago. She threatened to blow the roof off this place! We can’t let that happen, can we Jackson?”

 

“No way, Jose!” Jackson jumped off the couch and went to his mother. “Can I go, please? Please please please please!”

 

“Yes, sure sure. Derek can you get his booster seat from my car and put it in yours. My keys are on the counter.” Vanessa was smiling a little bit more than Casey. 

 

“Okay, no problem. Love you, Case! Play nice, ladies.” Derek took the hand of the toddler, grabbed the keys, and disappeared from the home. 

 

“I think this was a set up.” Casey laughed.

 

“I think we’re on a playdate!” Vanessa was doubled over laughing which made Casey laugh even harder. When the women calmed down Casey muted the television and took a big breath.

 

“This is the first time I’ve had a drink since Mia’s been born so I am already buzzed...and I just have to know.” she took a deep shaky breath. “Have you ever had the hots for my...Derek?”

 

“The hots, Casey?” Vanessa giggled and poured herself and Casey another glass from the bottle on the coffee table. “1999 called, they want their slang back.”

 

“No, but, for serious. Did you ever get it on with Derek?”

 

“Oh, god no. He was a narcissistic jock jerk asshole who turned  into my best friend when you went on that dance tour.”

 

“What?”

 

“Are you ready for a story? It’s kind of long and drawn out.” Vanessa sighed and Casey nodded eagerly. “When you went to New York, Derek was a wreck. Seriously. A torn up whiny piece of shit. He came to dance practice for weeks after you left but he stopped going to class. His roommate told me that he would just kind of stay on his computer and do nothing but game until you video messaged. It was really fucked up. And pathetic. I don’t know what kind of spell you had over him but he became totally disenchanted when you abandoned him. And his roommate, Robin I think, had gotten a new girlfriend so he wasn’t around much to help him. Robin’s girlfriend was my roommate. Quinn told me about the hot mess Venturi and I recognized him from his creeping around dance practice. 

 

One Friday, I brought him a six pack and a bag of funyuns to his dorm. We played Grand Theft Auto and Halo all night. For all weekend. Then we went to the bar and played darts. Then monday came and we went to class. He never came onto me, I was engaged. But my fiance was five hundred miles away at a different university. My fiance back then is actually my ex husband and Jack’s daddy. Anyways, Derek didn’t treat me like a hot girl. He treated me like a buddy. And I didn’t see him as a hot guy. I saw him as my brother. I was lonely and so was he. So we drank, we played bloody games, we video called our beloveds, and we were best buds. Until you came back and I transferred out. Then we lost touch. Until that night in my disgusting place of work. I have a masters in world history, Casey!” she took a big gulp of wine. 

 

“What about that night in his dorm? The drunk night...didn’t you hook up?”

 

“Oh, Casey! God no! Is that why you hate me?” Vanessa, now totally tipsy, reached out and put a hand on Casey’s knee. 

 

“Well that and you were a better dancer than me! You totally deserved captain!”

 

“Good god, no! You are awesome!” Vanessa took another drink of wine, her second large glass nearly empty. “Anyways. That night my fiance, Tyler, surprised me at Queens. I was at a party with Derek. Derek and I were playing beer pong and apparently standing a little too close. Tyler yanked me out of the room and gave me a pretty good lashing. He left me in some guy’s bedroom bleeding with a swollen eye and really drunk. I had been having a rough night, Derek was designated sober. Derek found me mostly unconscious on that guys floor and couldn’t find Tyler. So Derek took me back to his room where I threw up in your shoes...because I couldn’t find a trash can...it was the only funny part of that night because Derek hated those shoes. Too many sequins, he said. Derek stopped my bleeding and gave me pain killers and let me sleep in his bed and he took the floor. You came back a month later and Tyler convinced me to transfer to his school. So, that’s it.” 

 

“Oh...Vanessa...I had no idea. I’m such a...such a….bitch!” Casey exclaimed and poured herself another tall glass.

 

“No one had any idea. I’m not the pity kind of gal. I can figure most of my life out. Just not my job right now.” Vanessa laughed slightly and poured herself the last of the wine.

 

“Oh my god, Vanessa! I can help! My dance studio needs a teachers aid! I need a teachers aid! I can totally get you an interview! Can you still dance?”

 

“Well...yeah. You’re really loud!”

“I know!” the girls both lost their senses and began to laugh until they cried and lost breathed. They didn’t talk for about ten minutes. 

 

“I’m really sorry, Vanessa. For all the stuff I’ve said about you over the years.” Casey had sobered slightly. 

 

“It’s okay. Freshman year I was a catty bitch.” Vanessa shrugged. “Do you like Grey’s Anatomy?”

 

“Who doesn’t?” Casey smiled.

 


	17. Chapter 17

**Almost Four Years Later...**  
  
"Der-ek!" Casey's voice echoed through the apartment. Pink and purple streamers were hung everywhere, along with the ever creepy face of a cartoon princess, Mia adored.   
  
"Vanessa! Derek! Where are you? Come see how gorgeous this child is!" Casey was in the bedroom with a very grown Mia. Three years old and sporting a very purple very frilly party dress with matching hair bows. Though, Casey was having issues wriggling the excited three year old into her new white tights which completed the ensemble.   
  
"It's my birthday!" Mia shouted. "Daddy where are you?"   
  
"Mia, sit still. Mama's gotta get these tights on. It's too cold to run around without them."   
  
"I can do it!" Mia groaned and shoved her mother's hands out of the way. "I can do it!"   
  
"Alright then, Ms. Independent. Do it." Casey chuckled and stepped back, watching her toddler daughter squirm into the tiny leggings.   
  
It had been a crazy long insane road. Casey was going on thirty, which definitely made her cringe to think about. It also meant that she had spent upwards of fifteen years with Derek Venturi.   
  
After that first horrifying night in the living room not everything had been smooth sailing. In fact, George and Nora hadn't looked Derek or Casey in the eyes for weeks. Even coming home for Christmas was still weird. Marti was actually the first one to be okay with it with a remarkable quote that she doesn't even remember saying "Derek smiles a lot more with Casey and Casey laughs a whole bunch. Why can't we be happy because they are?"   
  
Going back to college was the easy part until Casey accepted the dance program and left for a year. It was a dark year for not only Derek but the entire family. Derek's brooding was kicked up to a ten. Everyone took to skulking around him like a wary cat waiting to be kicked.   
  
The night Casey got back from New York Derek took her out to a fancy dinner. She babbled through the appetizer and entrée and halfway through desert Derek officially lost it.   
  
"Yeah, that's great, Casey." He snapped through clenched teeth. "But can you just shut up for like five seconds."   
  
"Uh, yeah. Sure, Derek." She muttered. "I'm sorry. It's just been super exciting...and I guess I have a lot to say. I didn't mean to upset you." Her tone was drenched in bitter sarcasm.   
  
"You...you aren't upsetting me." He paused and took a long drink of his beer. Having turned 21 during Casey's absence he had taken to beer and shouting at hockey games with George and Edwin. It was very cathartic. "How old are we?"   
  
"Twenty-one. College sophomores...juniors in the fall. Why?"   
  
"And we've been together for...how long?"   
  
"You mean like been together...or known each other? Because I feel like you should know our anniversary you, jerk. Seriously. I haven't been gone that long." Casey huffed.   
  
"Case, come on." He pleaded with an exasperated sigh.   
  
"We've been together for almost three years. We've known each other for, like, seven." She muttered.   
  
"Yeah. So, a long ass time. Anyways..." He took another long pause which made Casey's heart race.   
  
"Are you dumping me? Did you drag me out a fancy dinner on my first night back in town to dump me? Is it Vanessa? Seriously, Derek? Seriously?" She ranted, tears welling up in her eyes.   
  
"No, you idiot. Just...just, calm down, spazz. I'm kind of doing the opposite of breaking up with you. If you would just...stop talking...for like...a minute. This isn't easy. Okay?" His teeth were gritted again as he looked at that blue eyed princess. Her hair was a little shorter and she had thick bangs. Not really his liking, but not his choice, she pointed out at the airport. She was beautiful, like drop dead gorgeous. Not the off brand pretty where she had a great personality. But actually, could be a CoverGirl model. And this was it. Right now. As she tried to hide the fact she was crying into a $10 piece of fudge cake.   
  
"Casey Jane McDonald. You're high maintenance. You talk a lot. You're a know it all. You're a morning person who is stupidly punctual."   
  
"Are you just sitting here listing all of my bad qualities."   
  
"You wanna marry me, space case?" He sighed.   
  
"What?" Her head snapped up and looked at Derek. He looked scared. Like a puppy who had peed on the carpet and was waiting for people to find out.   
  
"What what?"   
  
"Did you just...?"   
  
"Yeah. I did. Is that...cool?" He muttered.   
  
"Let me see the ring." Casey said.   
  
"I don't have one."   
  
"You're proposing without a ring. I know you don't watch chick flicks but seriously...you should know basic protocol." She ranted.   
  
"It's not my fault you're so damn picky! Damn, spoiled princess. Nothing I get would make you happy or be even close to good enough. I'm not girly enough to know what the hell you would even want! I was gonna let you pick your own stupid ring. From a real jewelry place."   
  
"Oh. That's better. I like that. Good job, Venturi."   
  
And they were married not more that six months after that. Turns out Casey already had a majority of it planned, just waiting for Derek to finally pop the question, and didn't take too much to do.   
  
It was a beautiful, and oddly simple wedding. No one was weird or uncomfortable. Lizzie looked beautiful in her soft blue maid of honor dress that matched Edwin's best man tie. They wrote their own vows which were not without the branded Casey and Derek snark and banter. Up, down, and all around. Casey and Derek stuck it out.   
  
And now, she was watching their three year old daughter finish shimming up her tights. Giant blue eyes, long brown waves, a little spitfire like Derek and far too smart like Casey. A perfect combination.   
  
"I did it!" Mia said triumphantly.   
  
"Yes, you did." Casey scooped up her little girl. "Let's go and find daddy and Aunt Vanessa so we can get going."   
  
Twenty minutes later Casey was cutting the cake at a local gymnastics studio. The kids were climbing and swinging from ropes and diving into little foam pits. It was toddler heaven.   
  
"Geez, Case. Big enough cake?" Lizzie asked as she sat down beside her sister on a plastic table bench. Casey was putting candles on a rather giant strawberry sheet cake.   
  
"Geeze, Liz. Big enough ring?" Casey teased back. "When were you going to tell me?"   
  
"Oh, you noticed did you?" Lizzie blushed and looked down at her two carat engagement ring. A little too much bling for her taste, but damn it was gorgeous.   
  
"I noticed it from the parking lot!" Casey sat down to talk to her sister. "When did she ask?"   
  
"A few days ago! Right in front of our dojo class. Third graders everywhere were oohing and ahhing. Amanda likes making a scene."   
  
"You're worth making a scene over." Casey wrapped her younger sister in a hug. "When are Edwin and Jess getting here?"   
  
"Soon, I hope. Have you seen Jess recently? She's massive. Like, I'm worried she'll go into labor during this party." Lizzie laughed.   
  
"God, I hope not. Too many babies as is. It's kind of sucky Marti couldn't make it. I mean she'll be here next week, but it's not the same."   
  
"It's your fault for having Mia during finals season. She's a college senior. Very selfish of you."   
  
"Jesus. I know. I'm so rotten. I can't believe Marti is a college senior. And I have a three year old.   
  
"Are you and Derek gonna have anymore?" Lizzie pried just as Derek walked up behind her with a brunette baby boy I'm each arm. Theodore Martin Venturi and Owen Phillip Venturi were a whopping three months old. Apparently, twins ran deep as a river on Derek's mom's side of the family and no one told Casey.   
  
"Hey, Liz. The twins are hardly a trimester old. Let's chill out before we start planning anymore. Here, take one." He handed Teddy to Lizzie and Owen to Casey before sitting down. Teddy was fast asleep and Lizzie was enamored with him. Owen however was awake and alert, squirming around trying to look at everything. That's how it was. Teddy was chill and zen. Slept a lot, hardly cried, the lowest maintenance baby ever. Owen however never slept, didn't latch very well, and was always trying to wiggle away. Three months old and already the problem child.   
  
"You want kids?" Derek asked as he scooped a finger full of icing off the cake.   
  
"Derek gross. Don't do that. The kids still have to eat that." Casey scolded. "Be an adult."   
  
"I have three kids. I pay bills. I have a very naggy wife who doesn't shut up." He plopped icing on her nose. "I'm very adult, thank you very much."   
  
"You're helpless." Casey sighed and wiped her nose off while trying to keep Owen in her arms. "So, do you want kids, Lizzie?"   
  
"Um, actually. Amanda and I have discussed it. At length. And we think we are cool with just being the really awesome aunts who give expensive gifts and cash."   
  
"A good a plan as any." Derek commended as Vanessa's now six year old son Jackson walked up.   
  
"Casey, when can we have cake?" Jackson asked rather politely.   
  
"We have to sing Happy Birthday to the birthday girl first. Can you go get her?" Casey asked.   
  
"You mean this birthday girl?" Vanessa walked up behind her son with Mia on her hip.   
  
After their first drinking binge on the couch nearly three years ago Vanessa and Casey had become nearly inseparable. Vanessa quickly left the sex shop and came to teach with Casey at the studio. It paid more so eventually she left her crappy apartment and move into the same apartment building as Derek and Casey. The three occasionally got a babysitter for the kids and even went out together for dinner or a decent night at the bar. There was even, half drunken, talk about Jackson and Mia ending up together. It was rather dull domestic bliss. Vanessa put Mia down and she went right up to Lizzie and Casey and kissed each of her brothers on the head.   
  
"I love the babies, mama." She told Casey. "Can they eat cake too?"   
  
"Not yet sweetie. But I'm sure you'll eat enough for the both of them." Casey kissed her daughter and handed her son off to Derek. "Hey, all kids here for the Venturi birthday party, we are going to sing Happy Birthday and then eat cake and open presents!"   
  
Owen took this opportunity to open his mouth and let put one long wail. Derek stood and took several steps away, much to his pleasure. The gaggle of sugar fueled toddlers proved to be too much for him and Owen. Who knew a preschooler could have so many friends? Derek found a spot a bit away next to his father. George was hanging back while Nora was up close and personal taking pictures with their superior camera.   
  
"Pretty crazy." George commented.   
  
"Like a midget mosh pit. I'm covered in glitter and spit up all day every day." Derek sighed.   
  
"You love it."   
  
"Yeah, well. It's not awful." Derek smiled in spite of himself.   
  
"Never thought I'd see you get to this point. Figured some poor girl was going to murder you in your sleep."   
  
"Man, it came close when Casey was eight months pregnant with the twins."   
  
"You did good, son. You did good. And honestly, I'm glad it's Casey."   
  
"Several years of marriage and three grandkids later. That's good to hear." Derek scoffed.   
  
"You do make some damn cute kids." George said as he took Owen from Derek's arms.   
  
"Hell yeah we do." Derek said. Owen cooed in agreement.   
  
"I gotta know. Was everything you dumb kids went through worth it? All the fighting. Years of emotional sabotage and torture. The time you two nearly split up right before you found out about the twins. Back when Nora and I were rather disgusted by it all. You guys aren't bitter about any of it, right?"   
  
"Not at all. Yeah, it was worth it. All of it. One hundred percent. She still drives me bat shit crazy. But I'm glad it's her screaming about how I left only a sip of milk left in the carton. Ya, know."   
  
During this conversation, the kids had finished singing and were tearing into the cake. Casey sauntered over with Mia on her hip. Teddy had been passed off to Nora. Mia was holding a paper plate with a generous helping of cake.   
  
"Daddy, we brought you and Poppa some cake." She said sweetly. Derek took his daughter from Casey and kissed Casey like they were nineteen again.   
  
"I love you, space case." He said when George made a pointed cough.   
  
"I love you too, Venturi. Now, eat some damn cake." Casey took the plate of cake from Mia and smashed it in Derek's face.   
  
"Oh you're gonna get it, spazz!" He laughed evilly. Casey had begun to run away cackling and Derek lunged after her while clinging on to Mia. "Mia, lets go get mommy. Help, me get mommy!" With that Derek and his daughter chased Casey to the foam pit where all three of them jumped in and were giggling and tossing foam cubes at each other. Taking turns tossing their birthday girl in the air. Nora sauntered over to George, each holding a grandson, and kissed him   
  
"Our kids are idiots." She laughed.   
  
"Happy idiots." George countered.   


 

**~~~FIN~~~**

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Questions, Comments Concerns? Need nutrition information? Well…no nutrition as this was mainly fluff. I enjoyed writing the tender father/daughter scene between George and Casey. If you liked it, let me know.


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